Queerness and Radical Thought for Future Visions of America

The current political efforts of eradicating queer visibility are not new in U.S. contexts. For a long time, queer scholars, artists and writers have asked, and continue to ask: What might a radically different future for America look like through the lens of queerness? How can queerness help to push boundaries and open up possibilities for a future that is more just, inclusive, and radically imaginative?

In this compact course, we aim to make these visions, quite literally, audible. In collaboration with the SLUB podcast studio, we will familiarize ourselves with the equipment, software and skills necessary to create a podcast. Through queer literature, theory and philosophy, we will (re)imagine the future and explore how queerness has shaped, and continues to shape, alternative visions of society, politics, and identity in the U.S. By reading fiction, non-fiction, and foundational queer theoretical texts, we’ll critically examine the ways in which queer thinkers have challenged dominant norms and proposed new ways of being, living, and relating full of radical possibilities. Thus, throughout this compact course, we will create a short podcast series on “Queerness and Radical Thought for Future Visions of America,” which will explore the intersections of queerness with radical thought.

Please note: this is an intensive compact course that requires a high level of time management and dedication from students, as well as efficient and thorough in-depth preparation for sessions at home. Additionally, we will read texts in this course which contain references to sexual violence, racism and hate crimes.