Envisioning Monstrosity in Early Modernity

Catalog description

This course introduces students to the historical analysis of visual and material culture through the charged site of the “monster” in the Atlantic World. How and why are monsters made? What can visualizations of monsters tell us about how Otherness is constructed, contested, and critiqued? What do monsters tell us about human oppression, agency, and cross-cultural encounters? Analyzing visual and textual primary sources as well as different theoretical approaches, students will hone in the course sharper visual analysis skills, a critical awareness of the many-sided discourses on monstrosity, and a deeper understanding of early modern Atlantic history.