This course invites students of American literature, history, psychology (and other fields) to join in discussing the history and literature of a non-hegemonic region of the U.S. The excerpts the class reads will be supplemented to fill in context and historical periods. A schedule of readings is attached; all are in English.. Please keep up with readings as the class moves quickly.
This course explores issues of identity and cultural relevancy/appropriations in contemporary southwestern literature. We will read works by major authors of Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, including Rudolfo Anaya, Barbara Kingsolver, Tony Hillerman, Terry McMillan, Simon Ortiz, and Edward Abbey. This will include poetry, fiction, and non-fiction.
In addition, students will audition radio documentaries on these writers and read Writing the Southwest, a volume of biography and critical reception on these same authors. Competency in English reading and writing required
Course Schedule and Readings
Class 1 - Southwestern American Culture in Context;
- Joy Harjo and Native American Literature
Class 2 - Rudolfo Anaya and Hispanic American LIterature
Class 3 -Edward Abbey and Anglo American Literature
Class 4 -Summary: Reading/Writing The American Southwest
Bibliography:
Dunaway and Spurgeon. Writing the Southwest (3rd edition: 2017)
Abbey, Edward. The Brave Cowboy. Dodd, Mead, 1956.
Chavez, Denise. The Last of the Menu Girls. Houston: Arte Publico Press, 1986.
Harjo, Joe. In Mad Love and War. Middletown. Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 1990.
Hillerman, Tony. The Ghostway. New York. Harper and Row, 1985.
Kingsolver, Barbara. Animal Dreams. New York: HarperCollins, 1990.
McMillan, Terry. Waiting to Exhale. New York. Viking, 1992.
Nichols, John. Elegy for September. New York. Henry Holt and Company, 1992.
Nichols, John. On the Mesa. Santa Fe. Peregrine Smith, 1986.
Rios, Alberto. The Iguana Killer: Twelve Stories of the Heart. New York: Blue Moon Books, 1982.
Steiner, Stan. La Raza: The Mexican Americans. New York: G.P. Putnam,1970.
Waters, Frank. People of the Valley. Chicago. Swallow Press, 1941.
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