ENG1237 Zombie Fiction and Film

This course explores the history and cultural meaning(s) of the zombie, a monster figure whose unnatural lifespan stretches from the transatlantic slave trade and the Haitian Revolution to Hollywood blockbusters and primetime TV. Across written, graphic, and audiovisual narratives, zombies raise profound questions about important topics, such as race, racism, and (neo)colonialism; religion and spirituality; class, capitalism, and consumerism; biomedicine and contagion; disability; and environmentalism. Through close reading analysis, structured class discussion, and argumentative writing, students will engage these thematic concerns in relation to their own identities and experiences.

Credits

4 sh

Course Types

Literature

Offered

  • Winter
  • Summer

Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain origins of the zombie figure (especially vis-a-vis legacies of slavery & colonialism).
  2. Interpret literary and popular narratives using a “close reading” methodology.
  3. Analyze how zombie narratives reflect and respond to cultural ideologies.
  4. Compare written texts with audio/visual media (i.e., film, television, painting, comics, etc.).
  5. Examine texts from diverse communities to challenge dominant societal power structures.
  6. Write insightful arguments that link zombie narratives with history and culture.

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