Instructor: Dana Fore, Department of English, College of Letters and Science
Description: Interest in the field of disability studies has increased in recent years because (1) the "Baby Boomer" generation continues to age and (2) wounded veterans from Iraq have rekindled a general interest in the problems of disabled people within "normal" society. The course will introduce students to this new and expanding field of cultural study via examinations of the multi-faceted "disabled identity" as portrayed in literature and film. Assignments will familiarize students with the historical foundations of "disability" and "normalcy" while preparing them to write short analytical papers or creative works on these subjects.
Format:Short (2-3 page) papers assigned in the second half of the class will prepare students to write a final paper (4-5) analyzing current images of disability promoted through the mass media. Assignments will sensitize students to the issues surrounding disability and able-bodiedness, while strengthening their ability to write short pieces suitable for publication in journals or magazines. There will not be a textbook for this seminar, there will be a reader. Grading: Grading will be based on an annotated bibliography and three short papers (40% total); an office hour appointment (20%); a short final project (4-5 pages, 25%); and attendance (15%).
About the Instructor: Dr. Dana Fore is currently a lecturer for the University Writing Program/UC Davis English Department. He has been teaching a variety of courses since 1998, including: UWP 1, ENL 3, UWP 101, WLD 57 and ENL 156: The Short Story. He has also worked extensively in the field of disability studies. His most recent publication in this area is the article "Life Unworthy of Life: Masculinity, Disability and Guilt in The Sun Also Rises," published in the Spring 2007 issue of The Hemingway Review.