Arts and Sciences Alumni Academy: The Literature of Addiction

The problem of addiction has captivated artists in every era and corner of the globe, from Homer’s Odyssey to the literature, music and film being produced today. But how do we understand this problem now, and what can literature specifically teach us that other disciplines cannot?

On Wednesday, May 7, join Chris Brunt G’11, assistant teaching professor of creative writing, for an introduction to the Literature of Addiction and to consider addiction from a variety of angles. Along the way, look at the science of substance use disorder and consider the “disease” model as a paradigm of mental illness, review new reporting on the epidemic of opioid addiction, confront the ironies of criminalization and public policy, and consider various therapies and redemption narratives from antiquity to our present time.