From Data to Narrative: A Workshop in Non-fiction Writing

Catalog description

In our daily lives we are overrun with data, endless bits of information about our environment, health, location, preferences and social contacts. Walter Benjamin has decried this as a modern condition of being bombarded with data, but with no ability or effort to synthesize it into the narrative form in which humans can process and intake it. This course will explore the genre of non-fiction writing as a means to effectively communicate various forms of data. Readings will include examples of leading non-fiction writers such as Sven Lindqvist in cultural studies and history, and Simon Singh in science. The course will also cover basic conventions of citation and reference. Students will practice researching and writing historical, biographical or other fact-based information into narrative form. During the semester, student will also workshop their own researched narrative piece. 001541