230272 Falling Hard: Bonds of Affection & Affects of Loss in Maggie Nelson´s Writing (S) (WiSe 2026/2027)

In this seminar, students will read about and through affect theory as a critical framework (Ahmed, Berlant, Tomkins, etc). We will start off by discussing major debates and positions in affect theory: how does the focus on the pre-conscious, bodily, and emotional "intensities" a text produces move readers beyond purely linguistic or historical analysis? How does literature shape and connect bodies? Can an emphasis on "sticky" emotions, non-verbal responses, and the "scenes" of experience open new ways of understanding texts and (de)constructing meaning? Are affects (like shame or joy) culturally and politically (re)produced and can affective reading highlight the role of literature in shaping identity and power? Our primary focus will be Maggie Nelson´s fiction and Nelson´s own theorization and use of affect in writing.