What is biography? What can different forms of "life writing" offer that other types of narrative and history cannot? This course grapples with these questions, investigating theories and methods in approaching biography and exploring its various forms including autobiography, hagiography, memoirs, prosopography and political biography.
One of the main elements of the course is podcasting. Students will learn how to create a podcast, from creating the script to recording - including technical training with the audio equipment in the podcasting studio at the CEU Media Hub. We work closely together with Media Hub staff. The second half of the course will be spent crafting a biographical podcast.
In addition to theory and practice, the course explores exemplary biographies, selections of noteworthy biographies from the ancient world to the 21st century. Attention will also be given to the question of how to nest individual life stories within projects that have broader aims.
- Instructors: Charles Shaw, Brett Wilson