CHID 320: Seminar in Public Writing: Writing for Good (A&H, W)
Seminar Theme: Reckoning with Christian Nationalism
When Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016, many conservative evangelical Christians viewed his victory as the harbinger of a long-standing goal: to make the U.S. once again “a Christian nation.” What social and political transformations does this movement envision? And who is included in and excluded from this vision in terms of race, religious identity, immigration status, gender, and sexuality? We will explore these questions through academic writings, journalism, and documentary films, and produce written analyses of our own, with the goal of communicating what we know to public audiences.
In this writing-intensive seminar, you will write and edit regularly outside of class, and review your work in a workshop format with fellow seminar participants (capped at 12 students). Class members will serve as either author or editor during each week of the course, working collaboratively to improve their own and each other’s work. The ability to write and edit in multiple genres is a skill that will be applicable across many fields and professions. Additionally, this class will refine your skills as an interpreter and producer of knowledge.