the essay is not based on any particular topic
“You will get a sense of the kinds of things I’d like you to discuss in the essay. There is a description of the length of the paper in the syllabus. Beyond this, you can use my response papers, independent research, or the course material to build an essay that represents your own interests and views.”
The essay is not based on any particular topic, but rather any or all of the topics discussed in the course. You could write an essay that includes both personal reflection and critical interpretation. You can do a close reading of a specific album, film, image, social movement, etc. Because this course is so broad, you have a lot of freedom to write on a subject you’re knowledgeable about, and can write convincingly about. Writing the essay for this course involves making links between different texts, examples, and conversations we’ve had in order to craft your own original intervention.
