ENWR 2520: Special Topics in Writing
Rewriting Yourself—Studies in Literacy & The Brain
What do we know and what are we still learning about writing and the human brain? Literacy has dramatically reshaped the human brain over millennia. Yet as literacy itself evolves, we still lack satisfactory data on how writing (and its counterpart, reading) affects our neurology and cognition--and therefore, how literacy affects who we are as humans.
In this reading- and writing-intensive course, we will read a range of work on literacy and cognition, including technical and popular treatments of issues such as reading and neural development, brain function during writing tasks, brain activity connected to other creative tasks, and more. We’ll read work from creativity experts, neurologists and cognitive scientists, psychologists, mental health practitioners, computer scientists, and professional writers and editors, all in trying to understand the relationship between literacy and our minds. Reading assignments will include a series of “read-in” activities; writing assignments will include a combination of creative, reflective, and research-based projects.
By the term’s end, you should have an enriched sense of yourself as a reader and writer, and how your literacy practices play into your larger identity.
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History & Culture of Writing at UVA
The University of Virginia, founded in 1819, began with a rich history of writing and writers; that tradition continues today. But with so many different writing activities taking place across Grounds and across time, we may not fully appreciate what all this culture means.
In this course, you will both research and contribute to the culture of writing at UVA. You’ll have a chance to read the (mostly unpublished) writing of past students and faculty, to see where we’ve come from.
You’ll investigate current writing activities across Grounds, helping put together a puzzle that reveals what and how we’re writing today. And finally, you’ll create your own original writing to add to our university archives, making your mark for future generations to read. Through this hands-on literary adventure, you will gain a holistic sense of UVA's rich writing culture and your place, as well.