AMST 144
American Ethnic Detective Fictions and Variations Spring 2013
Division II Writing Skills
Cross-listed ENGL 144
This is not the current course catalog

The many variations of the detective novel–from the British “cozy” to The many variations of the detective novel–from the British “cozy” to American “hardboiled” thrillers–have long been staples of popular culture. While the intricate plot may play a large role in attracting readers, other formal elements of detective fiction have attracted many writers, some who would transgress the genre itself. In this class, we will read and discuss works by various American ethnic writers and their use of the forms and conventions of the mystery novel to ask: how do we understand the relationship between racial/ethnic identities, histories, experiences and the genres, conventions, and other elements of detective fictions? What is the relationship of form, genre, narrative to cultural politics and history? How do the different writers use conventions of detective fictions, and to what effects and purposes? To this end, we will be readings works that are recognizable “detective fictions” as well as works that complicate and push the boundaries of the genre, to the extent that they become nearly unrecognizable. This is not to suggest that these boundaries are strict or stable. As we will see, the question of what does or does not constitute “detective fiction” will become less central as we investigate multiple ways in which the novels/authors stretch, disrupt, and play with the forms and elements of detective fictions.