ENGL 277 - Reading and Writing Outdoors

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

In this intensive, we explore the practice of writing outdoors through two avenues: first, by reading and discussing texts that emerged from their authors’ intimacy with the natural world; and second, and by cultivating our own relationship to the outdoors through a mix of contemplative practices and creative writing. We pair Dorothy Wordsworth’s walking journals with a practice of walking meditation, and Robin Wall Kimmerer’s writings on indigenous philosophies of reciprocity with tree meditation and inter-breathing. Our aim is not only to observe how writers from a range of literary traditions have expressed their relationship to nature in words, but also to explore which modes of writing and relating activate our own sense of aliveness in nature. This intensive involves physical practices and walking, including some field trips and long hikes. Students must be able to sit on the ground, practice outside in all weathers, and get a little dirty. To apply, please send me a paragraph outlining why you are interested in this intensive, as well as any previous experiences or courses that might be relevant to our topic. Katie Gemmill.

Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor. To apply, students are invited to send a paragraph outlining why they are interested in this intensive, as well as any previous experiences or courses that might be relevant to our topic, to kgemmill@vassar.edu.

Two hours every other week.

Course Format: INT