USSY 287F - Telling True Stories: Literary Journalism in America

Institution:

Case Western Reserve University

Subject:

Description:

Literary journalism is a genre of nonfiction writing that employs all of the reportorial and truth-telling covenants of traditional journalism, while employing rhetorical and storytelling techniques more commonly associated with fiction. In short, it is journalism as literature. This course will introduce you to major themes in American literary journalism, the genre's representative writers, and the enduring questions of the field. For example, we will ask how these stories work as narratives, as scientific explanations, as political tools, and as entertainment. How do these categories overlap? How do they motivate us to act? Where are these stories published and who is the readership? How do historical and cultural contexts influence and appear in the works? What is the relationship between (literary) journalism and democracy? What is the relationship between form and content? Is there a difference between physical truth and emotional truth? In the process of answering these questions, this course will emphasize close reading, interdisciplinary thinking, and the writing process. Through reading assignments, class discussions and presentations, and paper writing we will have the opportunity to examine, analyze, and develop our own interpretations about these multifaceted writings and the diverse cultural experiences and meanings they chronicle. Prereq: Passing letter grade in a 100 level first year seminar in USFS, FSSY, FSCC, FSNA, FSSO or FSCS. Prereq or Coreq: FSTS 100

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.case.edu

Phone Number:

(216) 368-2000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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