ENVI 280BGlobal Food Sovereignty

Catalog

"Apocalypse" is often equated with destruction and catastrophe, calling to mind familiar images of chaos, fiery judgment, stars falling from the sky, and other ends of the world. From ancient Mesopotamian flood stories to contemporary novels, from religious visions of the end of the world to our contemporary moment of climate catastrophe and global pandemic, the apocalypse has long offered a potent way of thinking about the interconnections and fragility of social, cultural, theological, ecological, and political orders. As such, apocalyptic narratives have been able to provide us with "the sense of an ending." And yet the literal meaning of "apocalypse" is "unveiling": that is, it can also signify re-definition, renewal, and recognition. This class explores apocalyptic narratives across cultures and historical periods in both of those senses: as stories not only about endings, but new beginnings as well. Together we will engage with a variety of apocalyptic fictions and thought, including materials from multiple cultural traditions and media, such as visual art, philosophy, theatre, music, and film.