Introduction to Genre Analysis
This course explores the role of genre in shaping society and the everyday actions of individuals. Students will explore the following questions: What constitutes a genre, and what functions does it accomplish in the world? How does a genre work to stabilize knowledge and particular realities in various contexts? How can the use of genre promote social change? What happens when genre expectations are not met, that is, when the genre conventions accepted by a particular community are flouted either intentionally or by mistake? As students formulate answers to these questions, they will come to understand genres not as static categories but as dynamic ways of processing information that shape the world we inhabit.