ENG 4834 Spring 2022 Thomsen

The publishing industry has long privileged particular perspectives—through combinations of technology, politics, access, and power structures—and we will consider the choices made in publishing in terms of their potential to perpetuate or to subvert such privileges. In this class, we will consider forms and practices of publishing that operate to subvert, question, and complicate mainstream or traditional publishing practices and values. As we weigh these dynamics and their consequences, we will engage in a variety of exercises from evaluating manuscripts to conceptualizing and editing material to marketing a product.

The course will be divided into several short units that cover a range of conversations including topics such as: Riot Grrrl and zine culture; BIPOC presses and literary magazines; open access and traditional academic publishing; self, independent, boutique, and traditional publishing; and abolitionist newspapers and pamphlets. These conversations will deepen our historical, theoretical, and practical understanding of publishing, with short assignments built into each unit. The course will culminate with both a theoretical project that explores a current issue in publishing and a practical project that proposes a new publication.