This course will explore the place of the "freak" in American culture.
We will read a number of critical essays, brief articles, and literary
texts, as well as examine films, television, advertisements, cartoons,
music videos and lyrics, photography, visual art, performance art, and
the like.  This exploration will also include an examination of
cultural icons such as Michael Jackson and Shirley Temple.  Using
these materials we will consider how American culture defines and
represents freaks, who and what cultural values and spaces determine
who the freaks are, and economic and other gains driving this
production of freaks.  We will consider too how these marginalized
others reclaim freak identity, subvert it, and use it toward
empowerment and social change.  In addition, we will also consider how
some of these artists' works walk fine lines between criticism and
reproduction of freak identity.  This is an analytical writing course,
and work for the course will include four major papers, a number of
shorter writings, and at least one class presentation.