Students will examine the problems and possibilities that have shaped contemporary American identity as well as the ways in which this identity might be reimagined to reflect our always-already multicultural America. Students will discuss contemporary political, social, economic, educational, scientific and humanistic issues, focusing especially on identifying different genres and structures of valid arguments that social sciences employ to communicate responses to and action on important issues.

This course investigates what it means to be human and what our stories tell us and others about our human experience. Students will engage with stories and perspectives of multiple individuals who have lived around the globe in various times and cultures and have experienced diverse life situations and experiences. Students will explore these stories through expressive mediums including literature, art, music, film and ritual.

This course, which fulfills the General Education ENGL requirement typically met by ENGL 2010, extends principles of rhetorical awareness and knowledge-making introduced in ENGL 1010. By exploring epistemologies of academic and professional disciplines, students will analyze and create texts in a variety of genres, preparing them to enter into advanced disciplinary discourses.