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Oppression in the Fae Realm

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Sarah J. Maas' bestselling series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, has a major fan following. Many fans love the romance, lovable found family, and fantasy universe; this course will take a deeper look at race, class, and gender in the fantasy world. Students in this course will read the first three books of the series, including A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, and A Court of Wings and Ruin and will answer questions like:

  • If there's magic that can conjure food, then why is anyone poor?
  • How do heteronormative expectations play into the construct of fated mates?
  • In what ways do the fae segregate each other based on races and physical features?
  • How does the fantasy depiction of oppression connect to real life examples we see in our own society today?
Course Details
Prefix: 
UCO
Course Number: 
1200
Section Number(s) and Day/Times Taught: 
159: TR 2:00pm - 3:15pm
Term: 
Spring 2025
Categories: 
The Arts
Instructor(s)

Hannah Finkelstein

Hannah Finkelstein is a graduate of two North Carolina institutions of higher education. She works to bring the small classroom feel of her courses at Barton College with the importance of research and critical assessment of her courses at North Carolina State University into her classroom to create courses that are relevant, authentic, and encourage students to develop a love of learning. Her goal is to make sure students feel welcome and at home in the classroom to encourage dialogue and conversation around a variety of topics.

She currently rotates between a variety of course topics, all with heavy emphasis on critical thinking, clear communication, and collaboration including:

Escape Rooms and Puzzles
The Hunger Games: An Exploration of Wealth and Power
Brainrot? Developing Our Own Personal Philosophy on Social Media and Online Spaces
Howdy Neighbor: Getting to Know Yourself and Your Community
What Do Reality Shows Show Us?
Modern Dystopian Fiction and Modern Society


In her time outside the classroom, Hannah enjoys fiber-work, gardening, reading sci-fi and fantasy books, and long walks with her cuddly Great Pyrenees, Moose.