Intermediate Writing: Being ____ at Stanford

In this course, we will use two central methods autoethnography, which studies ourselves as participants in cultures; and institutional research, into the archives of Stanford to theorize ourselves as part of Stanford's past, present, and future. Paying special attention to our reading and writing practices, we will use autoethnographic writing prompts to better understand our own identities and experiences, and archival and ethnographic research to investigate specific institutions, events, or practices at Stanford. Ultimately, students will produce a major final project (20-25 pages, 6-10 audiovisual minutes, an installation) that integrates their autoethnographic findings (about you) with their institutional findings (about Stanford). This course is an opportunity to better understand yourself, your university, and the politics of language.