Anne Langendorfer is finally seeing one of her dreams come true: her dream course will be offered this spring quarter at Ohio State. The course is titled “Barack Obama and/as Literature.”
Langendorfer, a graduate student in the English Department, created the course through an annual contest in the English Department.
“Every year graduate students in the Ph.D program in English are invited to submit ideas for a special topics course of their own design,” said Manuel Martinez, associate professor of English. “The criteria for winning is based on best design, originality and the likelihood of drawing interest from a broad range of undergraduates.”
Martinez said this year seven graduate students applied, but Langendorfer’s proposal stood out.
“Anne’s course was the winner this year in a field of very good course designs,” Martinez said. “She is one of the best graduate instructors, and her design has the benefit of being timely and asking the question of how literature shapes and influences society.”
Langendorfer said she chose to offer a study of President Obama because she felt it was timely.
“The presidency is fresh in everyone’s mind,” Langendorfer said. “Obama proved to be popular amongst college students, so I think the class should be interesting.”
Langendorfer wants students to know the class is not focused on Obama’s political views.
“The class focuses on Barack Obama’s favorite literature,” Langendorfer said. “As a teacher, I am not interested in his policies or ideas but in him as a literary figure.”
Langendorfer said she received many e-mails from students opposed to her teaching the class, but she’s hoping she has a mixed class nonetheless.
“I’ve been called a left-wing nut for teaching this class,” Langendorfer said. “But I hope I get both conservative and liberal students in my class.”
Abby Snyder, a sophomore food science major, said her reason for signing up for the class has nothing to do with Obama’s politics.
“I think literature is very important in today’s society,” Snyder said. “Anne is a big part of the reason I’m taking the class, because of her great teaching style.” Snyder said.
Langendorfer does a great job making literature relevant to students who aren’t English majors. The students will be reading Obama’s favorite books, which were listed on his Facebook profile, and will be required to write four papers. The class is only offered Spring Quarter, and does fulfill a GEC requirement. Langendorfer admits that she does have one secret motive for teaching the class.
“I’m in a way using Obama as a hook,” Langendorfer said.
“College students don’t read a lot of literature, but hopefully seeing that the class is about Obama’s favorite literature will get students to sign up.”
Obama’s favorite books:
- Song Of Solomon by Toni Morrison
- Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
- Abraham Lincoln’s Collected Writings
- selections from Self-Reliance by Ralph Waldo Emerson
- selections of poetry from Elizabeth Alexander
Kelli Gardner can be reached at [email protected].
