WEEK 1: A Dystopian Present

“There is much ground for hoping that there are still laid up in the womb of nature many secrets of excellent use.” (Francis Bacon)

In preparation of this class, we will read Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis, an early modern text where Bacon articulates his utopian vision of human control over nature, alongside a contemporary feminist critique of these assumptions. Focusing particularly on the treatment of animals, we will trace how early modern conceptions of nature continue to inform contemporary practices, from scientific experimentation to industrial farming. Through writing prompts, we will examine the historical continuities between these ideas and their manifestations in our (dystopian?) present.