Anxiety, Boredom, Terror, Awe: American Moods in the 21st Century

Catalog description

What do we mean when we speak of a national or American mood? What is the relationship between an individual's mood and collective experience and action? What is a mood to begin with? This course will consider these questions in relation to four central moods of 21st century American experience: anxiety, boredom, terror, and awe (with occasional detours for distraction). We will analyze these moods alongside key moments and developments within 21st century American life, including: 9/11 and the War on Terror, stop-and-frisk policing, the second digital revolution, the 2008 financial crisis, the humanitarian crisis on the U.S. border, the presidencies of Obama and Trump, and the COVID-19 pandemic. As we move through this "affective history" of 21st century America, we will consider literary and cinematic works that illuminate the embodied moods and experiences of these events, while simultaneously addressing the following theoretical questions: What is a mood? What is a national mood, and is there such a thing as an "American mood"? How might these national moods be experienced differently by individuals with different bodies and backgrounds? How is mood reflected in different aesthetic forms such as film, literature, television, fashion, music, etc.? Are there ways that our moods might guide us towards new political and social possibilities? Authors / artists studied will include: Massumi, Fukuyama, Baudrillard, Lee, Flatley, Ward, Fincher, Berlant, Ngai, Luiselli, Coates, Obama, Lerner.