Reading Race in the 21st Century This course studies multi-ethnic literature by exploring how racial formation is represented through literature produced in the 21st century. We will study both the continuities and divergences in contemporary Black, Indigenous, and Asian American literary productions from their historical iterations. What shifts have taken place in the multi-ethnic literary canon and tradition between the past to current centuries? We will engage with themes such as the rise of genre fiction, changes to the literary marketplace, and the status of “national literature” in the global age. Authors may include: Colson Whitehead, Chang-rae Lee, Louise Erdrich, and Jhumpa Lahiri. (While ENGL 0224 Multi-Ethnic American Literature is not a prerequisite, it is encouraged.) 3hrs. sem. (This is an advanced course, so it is strongly recommended that you have completed previous ENGL coursework.) (Formerly ENGL 0306) 3hrs. sem.

Asian American Pop! From boba to K-pop, Asian diasporic culture is undeniably the shared lexicon of a global mainstream. In this course, we will engage with recent literary, televisual, and cinematic works to discern what they express about Asian American history, identity, and cultural politics. What is the difference between appropriation and authenticity? What can “popular” representations tell us about “serious” topics such as capitalism, citizenship, and empire? How does Asian American popular culture enact collective desires for belonging and memory? In particular, we will attend to the gendered and sexual circuits of cultural formation, with units on Asian American girlhood and queer diasporas. Texts include: Flower Drum Song, Crazy Rich Asians, and Master of None. Authors may include: Ocean Vuong and Lysley Tenorio.

Race and the Contemporary Novel This course surveys multi-ethnic American literature by exploring processes of racial formation through literature and literary representations produced in the 21st century. We will study both the continuities and divergences in contemporary Black, Indigenous, and Asian American literary productions from their historical iterations. What shifts have taken place in the multi-ethnic literary canon and tradition between the past to current centuries? We will engage with themes such as the rise of genre fiction, changes to the literary marketplace, and the status of “national literature” in the global age. Authors include: Colson Whitehead, Chang-rae Lee, Louise Erdrich, and Jhumpa Lahiri.  3hrs. sem.

Bestsellers and Prize-Winners: Contemporary Cultures of Reading and Literature Have you noticed how books that win the most literary awards and prizes are often the ones that get read the least? In this course students will study the disconnect between what professionals think we should read versus what people actually read, and how they engage with books, reading, and publishing in our digital age. We will examine canon formation, the process by which books become “classics.” At the same time, we will identify current trends in the literary world, while considering the roles of marketing, advertising, and social media (such as Booktok). This course aims to analyze the social forces that shape literary and reading cultures, so it is well-suited for students interested in studying books from a sociological rather than purely literary perspective.

Reading Literature: Fantastic This course seeks to develop skills for the close reading of literature through discussion of and writing about selected poems, plays, and short stories. A basic vocabulary of literary terms and an introductory palette of critical methods will also be covered, and the course's ultimate goal will be to enable students to attain the skills and tools vital to further course work in the major.

Multi-Ethnic American Literature This course introduces multi-ethnic literature by studying the relationship between racial formation and literary representation. What role does literature play in the process of racialization? How are cultural representations of racialized difference formed in relation to its historical, material, and social conditions? We will critically analyze the nested issues of labour, law, and migration that have shaped Black, Indigenous, and Asian presence within North America. From there, we will explore the themes of assimilation, multiculturalism, diaspora, and empire in order to track the trajectory of minoritarian literature throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Authors may include: Maxine Hong Kingston, Tomson Highway, and Toni Morrison.

The Millennial Novel In describing the essential features of the “millennial novel,” author Brandon Taylor insists, “What matters are the vibes.” Historically, the millennial novel is produced by authors born between 1981 and 1996. Thematically, it is distinguished by how “more female, queer, and BIPOC characters get to confront the impending collapse of society.” In this course, we will study the new genre of the millennial novel by reading its exemplary texts such as Private Citizens, Luster, Such a Fun Age, and Severance. Along the way, we will supplement the novel form with other millennial aesthetics, such as the music of Taylor Swift, the cinema of Emerald Fennell, and television shows by Issa Rae and Michaela Coel. This is an advanced course, so it is strongly recommended that you have completed previous ENGL coursework. Sem.

Multi-Ethnic American Literature This course introduces multi-ethnic literature by studying the relationship between racial formation and literary representation. How is race constituted and what role does literature play in the process? How are cultural representations of racialized difference formed in relation to its historical, material, and social conditions? We will critically analyze the nested issues of labour, law, and migration that have shaped Black, Indigenous, and Asian presence within North America. From there, we explore the themes of assimilation, multiculturalism, diaspora, and American empire in order to track the trajectory of minoritarian literature throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Authors may include: Maxine Hong Kingston, Tomson Highway, Toni Morrison, and Viet Nguyen.

Reading Race in the 21st Century This course surveys multi-ethnic American literature by investigating processes of racial formation through literary representations produced in the 21st-century. We will study the continuities and divergences in contemporary Black, Indigenous, and Asian American literary productions from their historical iterations. What shifts have taken place in the multi-ethnic literary canon and tradition between the past to current centuries? How has the 21st century yielded new or alternate ways of telling familiar stories? What are the different forms and genres that BIPOC authors turn to in order to articulate social concerns? We will engage with themes such as the rise of genre fiction, changes to the literary marketplace, and the status of “national literature” in the global age. Authors may include: Colson Whitehead, Chang-rae Lee, Louise Erdrich, or Jhumpa Lahiri. (While ENAM0115 Introduction to Multi-Ethnic American Literature is not a prerequisite, it is encouraged.) 3hrs. sem.

Asian American Indie Cinema From The Joy Luck Club (1993) to Crazy Rich Asians (2018), we have seen Asian American films sporadically achieve mainstream and commercial success in the last few decades. In these discussions, however, less attention is often paid to the rich and storied tradition of Asian American independent cinema. From its inception, Asian American cinema has necessarily had to be “independently” produced and distributed due to the historical, political, and material circumstances of Asian American racial formation. In this course we will survey, view, and analyze selections from the canon of Asian American indie cinema. What social themes do Asian American filmmakers engage with in their works? Which cinematic traditions do they borrow from or re-envision? Films studied may include: Chan Is Missing (1982), Double Happiness (1994), Better Luck Tomorrow (2002), Saving Face (2004), and Minari (2020).

Race and Representation In this seminar we explore cultural representations of race in popular and mass media. How are racial identity and racial difference represented in the media around us? What political, historical, and social contexts shape racial representations? Conversely, how might cultural representations of race shed light on its politics and histories? The foundational premise of this course is that popular culture has much to tell us about “serious” topics, such as capitalism, state violence, and structural inequities. We will commit to the idea that the pieces of culture we consume for fun or entertainment are worthy of critical study and rigorous critique. In this vein, we will critically analyze popular cultural texts that span a wide range of media, such as literature, television, film, and music.

Towards a Poetics of Community Why read literature? One answer: such reading is not individual but communal. It links readers to each other in aesthetic experience, in ethical and hermeneutic debate, and in appreciation for writers and fellow readers. As we read literary texts from different times, cultures, and genres, we will examine how they anticipate, create, or recreate readerly communities, and how these communities in turn help shape the texts as they are experienced. We will also strive to form our own readerly community—one that is as inclusive and as intellectually generous as possible. We will begin with close analysis of poetry in various forms from various historical periods. We will then read dramas by such playwrights as William Shakespeare, Margaret Edson, and/or Lolita Chakrabarti, as well as two works from among such prose writers as Charles Dickens, Emily Brontë, Herman Melville, Mark Twain, Marilynne Robinson, Virginia Woolf, Toni Morrison, Ian McEwan, Walter Moseley, and Jean Rhys.

Reading Race in the 21st Century This course surveys multi-ethnic American literature by exploring processes of racial formation through literature and literary representations produced in the 21st century. We will study both the continuities and divergences in contemporary Black, Indigenous, and Asian American literary productions from their historical iterations. What shifts have taken place in the multi-ethnic literary canon and tradition between the past to current centuries? We will engage with themes such as the rise of genre fiction, changes to the literary marketplace, and the status of “national literature” in the global age. Authors include: Colson Whitehead, Chang-rae Lee, Louise Erdrich, and Jhumpa Lahiri. (While ENAM0115 Introduction to Multi-Ethnic American Literature is not a prerequisite, it is encouraged.) 3hrs. sem.

Jennifer Wang

Reviews and ratings for Jennifer Wang at Middlebury College.Jennifer Wang teaches Reading Race 21st Century, Asian American Pop!, Race & the Contemporary Novel and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Jennifer Wang good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

This course was very valuable and interesting. Professor Wang is very passionate about the subject and it makes the class so much better. There was a good amount of reading but if you stayed on top of it it isn't difficult. Class discussions were almost entirely based on the readings so it was very important to pay attention to the readings. 

This class' curriculum is actually quite interesting. We read books I'd never heard of before and discussed the history of ethnic groups in the US in more depth than I'd done before in an English class. But the professor's style of teaching makes it difficult to enjoy learning. Everything is graded on a five point scale with absolutely no feedback given on assignments. In addition to fictional texts, there are historical critical readings which help sometimes, but mostly are abstract concepts that don't easily lend themselves to the literature. The prof is clearly dedicated to the subject, and the class is interesting, but working with the prof is so difficult 

This class was unnecessarily hard in terms of grading. Even during in-class discussions, its clear that she seems to be one of those professors who are looking for a specific answer and will shut you down if you don't give it. I liked the people in my class, though, they made it worthwhile and fun. 