Caren Irr

Associate Professor

Department of English and American Literature

Brandeis University

Waltham, MA 02454 USA

 

TEACHING INTERESTS:

I teach graduate and undergraduate courses in American literature.  Most of my courses are about fiction of the twentieth century, but some also extend back to the nineteenth century or forward to the twenty-first. Others look outward to other genres. A few of my courses are "theory" courses that deal with the emergence of new media as well as disputes over the meaning and value of culture, broadly defined. Below are syllabi for courses I teach regularly and some I expect to offer in the near future.

 

The Alternative Press (ENG 17a)

Cyber-Theory (ENG 101b)

The Superpower Novel (ENG 257a:  graduate)

Methods of Literary Study (ENG 200a:  graduate)

American Popular Music and Contemporary Fiction (ENG 177b)

American Literature, 1900-2000  (ENG 7a)

Copyright and Contemporary American Writing (ENG 217b:  graduate)

 

Spring 2008:

American Utopias (ENG 106b)

Nature Writing (ENG 28a:  new course)

 

Fall 2008:

The Worlds of 20th-Century American Fiction (new graduate seminar)

21st-Century American Literature (ENG 8a)

 

Spring 2009:

American Writers and World Affairs (ENG 187b)

New USem

 

RESEARCH INTERESTS:

My research analyzes political and social themes in contemporary North American literature (literature of the US and Canada). My current book project asks how contemporary American women writers have responded to changes in US intellectual property law. In other recent projects, I have been interested in new media technologies as well as literary representations of economic and cultural globalization. Another topic I have studied is the relationship between the Old Left and American literary culture. In the next few years, I expect to develop a new research project on green literacy; I want to learn how reading and writing can help us to perceive eco-systems more clearly.

For a list of my publications and presentations, see CV.

 

OTHER:

Finding Things to Read:

Contemporary American Literature Resources

Other Places to Find Interesting New Literature 

A Good Site for Theory Buffs

One Spot to Find Free Books Online.  And another. 

Volunteer to Proofread or Produce Free Books

 

Unsolicited Advice:

How to Proofread

How to Get a Good Letter of Recommendation

 

Tips for English Graduate Students:

   T.A. Resources

   Where to Find Conferences to Attend

Building a Field Exam List

   Writing a Prospectus

   Some Useful Information about the Job Market

Job Market Timetable

How to Keep up with Issues in the Academy

 

EMAIL: irr@brandeis.edu

Last updated 1/08