RELS PhD candidate Phil Fackler has been awarded a 2014-2015 Critical Writing Fellowship. His fall course will be a Writing Seminar on "The Origins of Evil."
WRIT 082 301 / Phil Fackler / MW 2:00pm-3:30pm
The Origins of Evil - What is evil? How do different religious traditions and cultures speak about evil and explain its origins? For millennia, people have asked these questions about the nature and origins of evil. From the seductions of a serpent to the opening of Pandora’s box, sages, scribes, and storytellers have used narrative to explain human suffering. But what are the social effects of naming and locating evil within particular people, places, or historical moments? In this course, we will explore these and other questions related to the origins of evil through analysis of sacred and secular stories as found in ancient texts, films, and graphic novels. This course will improve students’ skills in reasoning, critical reading, and research writing through peer review, multiple drafts and revisions of essays, and midterm and final portfolios. [Fulfills the Writing Requirement]