LFU:online

This seminar seeks to theorize the concept of “flyover fictions” by way of literary and cultural studies in order to describe and analyze different phenomena of marginalization in the USA. Students will use the specific discourse of “flyover” to understand more wide-ranging backgrounds and complexities and to develop tools to critique them.

The class takes the open concept of “flyover country“ in the US and expands it to describe not only the (alleged) cultural marginalization of the Midwest but more generally phenomena of being passed over and neglected, and the perception that culture happens elsewhere. We will take a literary approach to this complex theme by way of novels, short stories, poems, and essays, but we will build a decidedly intermedial toolbox to describe the fictions of these identities, places, and processes in film, music, or video games.

Note: This seminar ties in with the conference of the same name, which will take place on May 27 & 28, 2022 at the University of Innsbruck. Attending the conference is mandatory for all seminar participants, and the class will end with the session following the event.

https://www.uibk.ac.at/amerikastudien/flyoverfictions.html

weekly mandatory readings, discussion, conference participation

class participation, seminar paper, conference participation

Please get the following novels in any English-language edition once you are registered for the class: Tom Drury, The End of Vandalism; Paul Beatty, The Sellout.

Prerequisite for Master Program (812): none

The seminar "SE American Literature and Culture" can be attended as the "SE American Literature and Culture II". If you wish to obtain credits for both seminars, the seminars' contents must differ substantially.

Due to substantial differences in the allocation of ECTS-Credits in various curricula (teacher training program - BA/MA English and American Studies), the requirements for this course vary. Information will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the course.