WRIT 130 SC - Literary Journalism I/O

This workshop-based course focuses on Literary Journalism, a subgenre of Creative Nonfiction. Literary Journalism has beengrouped in or alongside categories such as “The New Journalism,” “Gonzo Journalism,” “Muckraking,” “Public Access,” “Underground,” “Advocacy,” and “Stunt” or “Immersion Journalism.” It has also been viewed as an ethical conundrum, a violation of journalism’s most sacred tenets, because it foregrounds the journalist’s experience and uses storytelling techniques associated with fiction writing. Does the “literary” nature of this genre of journalism destroy “objectivity” and hinder the search for “truth”? or does it allow for a more immersive access into “truth?” We will pursue this question by reading the historical antecedents of literary journalism beginning in the eighteenth century and discuss its practitioners through to the present day, spending time on the genre’s social justice tendencies and its gradual entry into mainstream journalism in the early-and mid-twentieth century. Students will practice various approaches to this subgenre and work to put together a Literary Journalism publication by the end of the semester. This section of this course is not taught as an Inside-Out course. Students interested in the Inside-Out course will enroll in WRIT130IOSC if offered.

Course Credit: 1.0

Please refer to the course schedule on the Scripps Portal for current course offerings and details.