Looks at controversial works of art and literature, weighing the arguments that surround these texts and examining the motivations of the various participants.  The course will focus on several case studies--for example, the controversies sparked by The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Native Son, and Lolita--and will consider the ways in which texts both participate in and transform social dialogue. How have race, class, gender, sexuality, and nationality historically factored in critical receptions? Why is art a continual site of cultural disputes? The primary goals will be to learn how to evaluate arguments; how to better analyze texts for tone, diction, and style; and how to become comfortable discussing the interaction of social and aesthetic issues in controversial works.