Critical & Reflective Inquiry: Critical Creative Writing

Theme: Critical Creative Writing

In this introductory class we will discuss some key issues in creative writing, including the politics of craft, language diversity in creative writing, and questions of identity, representation, and appropriation. The course will give students the opportunity to engage with creative writing not merely as an imaginative practice but one that is deeply embedded in contemporary discussions of the relationship between art-making and politics. Some questions we will pursue are: What is the ideology of "pure craft"? What limiting expectations or demands are placed on writers of specific identity categories? What ethical considerations are at stake in appropriative practices? We will be looking at "writings about writing" by contemporary writers such as Taiye Selasi, Alexander Chee, Bhanu Kapil and others, as well as engage in creative writing prompts that will challenge us to build our own creative practice in light of larger challenges and opportunities, formulating our own craft-criticism in the process.