Sick: Interrogating Illness Narratives

The word "sick" means many things: "I'm sick," "Out sick," "That's sick," and "Sick!" What might the alternate connotations of the word "sick"--disturbing or cool--suggest about our relationship with its primary meaning of being ill? Illness narratives have often captivated our cultural imagination, yet these narratives have taken on a new urgency today as we navigate the COVID pandemic. This course will examine illness narratives--literature, films, TV shows--in order to see what it can tell us about our current moment. Our discussions will seek to understand illness with nuance and compassion towards ourselves, others, and our community.