ENGL 2322.001 CRN 39524
MWF 12-12:50pm
English/Philosophy 360
Dr. Roger McNamara
“Modernity”—in its technological, intellectual, economical, and cultural manifestations—radically transformed the globe, first in Europe, and then through colonization, the rest of the world. While critics agree that Modernity completely changed how people understood themselves, their relationships with others, and their understanding of the world, they disagree over whether it was a positive or negative influence. Some critics celebrate Modernity for bringing “light,” “civilization,” and “progress,” while others consider it to “disruptive,” “invasive,” and “traumatic”. This course uses literature (fiction, poetry, drama, and non-fiction) to understand through “first-hand” experience of people from the 16thcentury to our contemporary present grappled with Modernity across the world including: Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa.
