Papers are due: TBA

Although I am always happy to talk through ideas with you and read drafts, I will not assign you a topic for any of these papers. Thus you'll need to create your own topic for each paper from the course readings, films, lectures and discussions. Think about what you're interested in, what you think might be important, or what surprised you. In this process, it might help to look at the questions fellow students are asking about the course materials. It is perfectly acceptable, and highly recommended, to form your paper's thesis around one of these questions.

In the past, a few students have seemed confused about why I don’t assign specific topics or questions. I want to explain my answer here: I don’t assign paper topics because I want you to be able to write about, and explore, whatever you think is most interesting. Another way to say that is that I am well aware at least half the work of having a good idea or writing a good paper is coming up with the initial question. This assignment is designed to give you space to come up with topics and questions that you think are important to ask.