Much has changed in the landscape of queer adolescent literature since the publication of John Donovan’s young adult

novel, I’ll Get There. It Better Be Worth the Trip (1969), arguably the first text with queer content written for and read by
teen audiences. Originally a niche genre of literature, queer young adult novels have become cornerstone texts in the field,
reaching a previously unthinkable degree of admiration and celebration in both academic and popular contexts. How have
changes in American and global sociocultural circumstances led to changes in the content and form of this genre of
literature? How can queer adolescent literature push us to better appreciate different ways of existing, surviving, and
thriving in heterocentric, patriarchal, and antiqueer cultures? To what extent can different branches of (queer) theory assist
us in unpacking and examining the literary and radical potentiality of this increasingly mainstream subset of young adult
literature? In order to effectively answer these questions, we will draw from different strands of queer theory—including
queer affect, queer ecocriticism, queer of color critique, queer postcolonial studies, and queer temporalities—to examine
different subgenres of queer adolescent literature published from the late 1960s, onward. As a student in this class, you will
not only develop an understanding of the literary, aesthetic, cultural, and historical issues that inform the creation and
interpretation of queer adolescent literature, but you will also develop a robust understanding of different queer theory
approaches and their application toward the examination of various texts and cultural productions.

Basic Course Information: In this graduate course, you will:

• Course: ENGL 727 (Issues in Youth Literatures)
• Professor: Angel Daniel Matos, Ph.D.
• Professor’s Email: amatos@sdsu.edu
• Professor’s Twitter Handle: @ProfAngelMatos
• Office: A&L 217 (Office hours available on Tuesday
and Wednesday afternoons, via appointment).
Important Course Disclaimers:
• The reading and writing load in this course is heavy.
Be prepared to read one YA novel and 1-2
theoretical articles or book chapters every week.
Expect to produce about 40 pages of academic
writing (conference papers, responses, etc.).
• Many of the primary course readings depict serious,
tough, and difficult topics such as racism, sexual
assault, suicide, death, graphic violence, and
bullying. We will address, examine, and discuss all of
these topics rigorously, seriously, and ethically.
• Develop a historical understanding of the emergence
and development of queer YA fiction and queer theory.
• Explore the limits and potentialities of different
subgenres of queer young adult literature—especially
the benefits and drawbacks of realism, fantasy, science
fiction (and texts that blur these distinctions).
• Understand the difference between paranoid and
reparative reading practices, and implement both in
your analyses of queer young adult literature.
• Understand the complex relationship between queer
content and form/structure, and explore the extent to
which LGBTQ+ novels necessitate innovative and
experimental forms of narration and storytelling.
• Explore the emotional and affective dimensions of
queer young adult literature, and understand the
sociocultural politics of emotions in these texts.
• Become familiar with different strands of queer theory
that draw from social and antisocial traditions, and
explore the overlaps between queer theory and other
areas of theoretical and cultural inquiry.

• Everyone is expected to generate productive,
conscientious, and cooperative discourse in the
classroom. Everyone’s voice will be heard, and
everyone will be respected at all times. Listen to your
peers and be generous with them. Approach the
classroom as a space for learning and growth, and
keep in mind that everyone is coming in with
different knowledges and backgrounds.
• Engage with theorizations of the queer child and
adolescent, and determine how contemporary young
adult fiction “queers” our understanding of these
developmental categories.
• Generate rigorous and thoughtful scholarship that
makes a clear intervention in the field of queer YA.

Matos - San Diego State University (Spring 2019) | 1

Course Texts Assignments and Evaluation Policies:

You are expected to purchase copies of All of the assignments and evaluation components in this course will be
the following novels and bring them to geared toward professionalization in the academy. However, these skills
class when they are assigned. You are
will be useful to you in various fields of work and study, and will push you
free to purchase hardcover, paperback,
or ebook versions of these texts: to develop your reading, writing, communication, and critical analysis
abilities. You will develop skills including but not limited to: a) writing a
• Albertalli, Becky. Simon Vs. the Homo paper proposal and abstract; b) anonymously reviewing a peer’s essay
sapiens Agenda. Balzer + Bray, 2016. and writing a reader’s report; and c) preparing and presenting a formal
• Barker, Meg-John and Julia Scheele.
conference paper for an academic conference. All of these skills are
Queer: A Graphic History. Icon Books,
2016. useful both in and out of academia, and their uses and applications will
• Block, Francesca Lia. Love in the Time be discussed in class.
of Global Warming. Square Fish, 2014.
• Córdova, Zoraida. Labyrinth Lost.
Sourcefirebooks Fire, 2017. Evaluation Component Quantity Points
• Garden, Nancy. Annie on My Mind.
Square Fish, 2007. Critical Reading Responses 3 100 (10%)
• London, Alex. Proxy. Speak, 2014.
• McLemore, Anna-Marie. When the
Moon Was Ours. Thomas Dunne Books, Conference Abstract 1 50 (5%)
2016.
• Ness, Patrick. Release. HarperTeen, Peer Review Reports 2 100 (10%)
2018.
• Rowell, Rainbow. Carry On. St. Martin’s
Griffin, 2017. Conference Paper 1 450 (45%)
• Sáenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and
Dante Discover the Secrets of the Participation n/a 300 (30%)
Universe. Simon & Schuster BFYR,
2014.
• Silvera, Adam. They Both Die at the TOTAL: 1,000 (100%)
End. HarperTeen, 2018.
• Uzodinma, Iweala. Speak No Evil.
Harper, 2018. Critical Reading Responses: At least three times during the semester
• Whitehead, Joshua. Jonny Appleseed. (you choose what weeks), you will write a 2-3 page (no more, no less)
Arsenal Pulp Press, 2018.
discussion in which you reflect on the primary and secondary readings
Additional Readings assigned for a particular class. How do the theoretical readings push you
to view the young adult novel in a new light? What issues or revelations
Primary texts will be paired with are highlighted when interpreting a novel using a particular theoretical
additional secondary readings that will be framework? Critical responses will be uploaded via Blackboard, and
uploaded to Blackboard. Many of these
points that you raise will be discussed in class.
secondary texts are notoriously dense
and difficult—so be prepared to read
Conference Abstract: You will develop an abstract for an academic
these texts multiple times! If you are
having difficulties in reading or conference paper that you will present at the end of the semester. You
understanding these texts, please will learn how to effectively contextualize your research and develop an
arrange study groups with your peers, or abstract that conveys a clear sense of your essay’s argument, stakes,
visit me during office hours for a one-on- importance, and contributions to the field.
one consultation. Furthermore, come to
class with questions, concerns, and crises Peer Review Reports: Toward the end of the semester, you will receive
that surfaced when reading these texts! two anonymous conference paper drafts written by two of your peers.
You will carefully read and assess each essay, and write a one-page
Technology in the Classroom
reader’s report in which you discuss what the essay does effectively and
Laptops and tablets are allowed in the what areas are in need of improvement and/or revision. Lastly, you will
classroom as long as they don’t interfere make a statement about how viable the essay is, and whether you think
with your participation and engagement it needs minor or major revisions.
in class discussions.

Matos - San Diego State University (Spring 2019) | 2

Course Policies
Absences
Attendance to class is compulsory,
and you are expected to arrive in a
timely fashion. You are responsible
for all of the material that was
discussed on days that you’re absent.
Given that this is a graduate seminar,
you will be granted one “free pass”
during the semester, meaning that
you will receive no penalties towards
your final grade if you miss one class.
For each additional absence over the
first, excused or otherwise, you will
receive a letter grade deduction from
your participation score. If you have
three or more absences, you will
receive a score of zero (0) in your
participation score. In the case of a
prolonged illness or issue, please
contact me as soon as possible.
Academic Honesty
The intentional, uncredited use of
another person’s work is a serious
academic offense that won’t be taken
lightly in this course. If I determine
that you plagiarized any of the work
that you turn in for this class, you will
automatically receive an F (0%) for
that assignment. If the act of
plagiarism is serious, you may be
reported to the Judicial Board
Advisor at the Office of the Dean of
Student Affairs. For more information
on plagiarism, please click here.
Assignments, Extensions, Etc.
All assignments must be turned in
personally by the established due
date and in the requested format. In
terms of late assignments, one letter
grade will be dropped for every day
of lateness that passes, including
weekends. If you need an extension
for an assignment, you must contact
me at least three days before the
established deadline. No
“Incomplete” grades will be given
for this course, unless you are facing
a serious, unprecedented issue.
Conference Paper: In lieu of a seminar paper, you will be expected to
produce an 8-page conference paper that you will formally present
during the last weeks of class. This paper will focus on 1-2 YA novels
assigned for this course, and you will draw from various secondary
sources to support your claims. Each paper presentation will be followed
by a brief Q&A session. After presenting your paper at our in-class
conference, you will be given the opportunity to expand your paper into
a longer, 10-12-page conference paper that will be submitted during the
allotted final exam period.
Participation: While I will occasionally offer very brief lectures in order
to introduce course concepts and contextualize course readings, this
class will be driven by collaborative discussions and workshops. It is
crucial that you read and participate in every class, and I will make sure
to keep you accountable for this. While I acknowledge that everyone has
different personalities and learning styles, active participation is crucial
in all graduate seminars. As a student in this class, you will be
responsible for: a) Sharing your impressions and interpretations of
course texts; b) Asking and answering questions that will generate
effective critical discussions; c) Selecting and highlighting passages that
you would like to discuss in class; d) Occasionally leading class
discussions; e) Listening carefully to your peers, allowing them to
express their ideas fully before (dis)agreeing with them or mobilizing a
counterargument; and f) Making sure that your ideas and conversations
do not deviate from the texts that we are examining. Do not be that
student who places the burden of class discussion on other people, and
in particular, don’t be that student who relies entirely on the discourse
that other people produce without generating any insights of your own.
Do not be surprised if I ask you questions if you are being unusually
quiet. If you are uncomfortable speaking in class, please meet with me
so I can help you to develop strategies on how to effectively participate
in class conversations.
Grading Scale
A = 100-93% A- = 92-90% B+ = 89-87%
B = 86-83% B- = 82-80% C+ = 79-77%
C = 76-73% C- = 72-70% F = 69-0%
Thank you for enrolling in this course, and I hope
you are ready to immerse yourself into fabulous,
strange, beautiful, difficult, and complex world of
queer young adult literature! Please email me if
you have any questions or concerns about this
course.
Matos - San Diego State University (Spring 2019) | 3
 Unit I: The Closet and the Young Adult Coming Out Narrative

In our introductory unit, we explore the importance and centrality of the coming out narrative in queer YA literature, and
complicate our understanding of the sociocultural interventions mobilized through these stories.

Week 1 - Thursday, January 24

• Focal Text: Nancy Garden’s Annie on My Mind
• Secondary Readings: Meg-John Barker and Julia Scheele’s Queer: A Graphic History; Eve Kosofsky
Sedgwick’s “Introduction: Axiomatic,” from Epistemology of the Closet.

Week 2 - Thursday, January 31

• Focal Text: Becky Albertalli’s Simon Vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda
• Secondary Readings: Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick’s “Paranoid Reading and Reparative Reading, or, You’re
So Paranoid, You Probably Think This Essay is About You”; Angel Matos’ “Complicating the Coming
Out Story: Unpacking Queer and (Anti)Normative Thinking in Simon Vs. the Homo sapiens Agenda.”

Unit II: Queer Affect, Memory, and History

In this unit, we will explore the political viability of the emotional, affective, historical, and temporal frameworks present
in queer young adult novels, focusing on notions such as happiness, unhappiness, futurity, and longevity.

Week 3 - Thursday, February 7

• Focal Text: Benjamin Alire Sáenz’s Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
• Secondary Readings: Sara Ahmed’s “Queer Feelings,” from The Cultural Politics of Emotion; Angel
Daniel Matos’ “A Narrative of a Future Past: Examining Historical Authenticity, Contemporary Ethical
Engagement, and Queer Latinx Narrative in Aristotle and Dante.”

Week 4 - Thursday, February 14

• Focal Text: Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End
• Secondary Readings: Sara Ahmed’s “Unhappy Queers,” from The Promise of Happiness;
Introduction to José Esteban Muñoz’s Cruising Utopia: The Then and There and Queer Futurity.

Unit III: Queerness, the Environment, and the Natural World

In this unit, we will explore the ties between ecocriticism and queer theory. Can the overlap between queerness and the
natural world push us to better appreciate the political and affective potentialities of queer young adult literature?

Week 5 - Thursday, February 21

Introduction to Queer Young Adult Literature and Queer Theory
• Focal Text: Francesca Lia Block’s Love in the Time of Global Warming
• Secondary Reading: Nicole Seymour’s “Introduction: Locating Queer Ecologies” from Strange
Natures: Futurity, Empathy, and the Queer Ecological Imagination.

Week 6 - Thursday, February 28

Introduction to Queer Young Adult Literature and Queer Theory
• Focal Text: Anna Marie McLemore’s When the Moon Was Ours
• Secondary Reading: Kyle Bladow and Jennifer Ladino’s “Toward an Affective Ecocriticism: Placing
Feeling in the Anthropocene” from Affective Ecocriticism: Emotion, Embodiment, Environment.

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 Unit IV: Intersectional Approaches to Queerness and Identity

In this unit, we will rigorously examine how domains of identity such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class, and ability
inflect representations of queer thought and experience in queer young adult literature.

Week 7 - Thursday, March 7

• Focal Text: Alex London’s Proxy
• Secondary Readings: Patricia Hill Collins and Sirma Bilge’s “What is Intersectionality” and
“Intersectionality as Critical Inquiry and Praxis” from Intersectionality (Key Concepts).
•

Week 8 - Thursday, March 14

• Focal Text: Zoraida Córdova’s Labyrinth Lost
• Secondary Reading: J. Fuji Collins’ “The Intersection of Race and Bisexuality: A Critical Overview of
the Literature and Past, Present, and Future Directions of the ‘Borderlands’.”
•

Unit V: Decentralizing and Decolonizing Queer Young Adult Narratives

The goals of this unit are twofold. We will decenter our understanding of queer YA by examining texts focused on queer
adolescence that are not written for or marketed to a YA audience. Secondly, we will decolonize understandings of
queer adolescence by examining novels that focus on indigenous and non-Western thought and experience.

Week 9 - Thursday, March 21

• Focal Text: Joshua Whitehead’s Jonny Appleseed
• Secondary Reading: Qwo-Li Driskill’s “Doubleweaving Two-Spirit Critiques: Building Alliances
between Native and Queer Studies.”
•

Week 10 - Thursday, March 28

• Focal Text: Uzodinma Iweala’s Speak No Evil
• Secondary Reading: Anjali Arondekar’s “Border/Line Sex: Queer Postcolonialities, or How Race
Matters Outside the United States.”
•

Unit VI: Adolescence and Queer Posthumanism

This unit focuses on “posthuman” narratives that represent notions such as monstrosity, the nonhuman, and ghostly/
spiritual presences. To what extent do these narratives reinforce or destabilize the centrality of human concerns in YA
literature? How can posthuman figures mobilize alternative understandings of queerness and knowledge production?

Week 11 - Thursday, April 11

• Focal Text: Patrick Ness’ Release
• Secondary Readings: Alice Bennett’s “Here, There, and hereafter: Fictional Afterlife Worlds” and
“After Life Writing” from Afterlife and Narrative in Contemporary Fiction.
•

Week 12 - Thursday, April 18

• Focal Text: Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On
• Secondary Reading: Patricia MacCormack’s “Queer Posthumanism: Cyborgs, Animals, Monsters,
Perverts” from The Ashgate Research Companion to Queer Theory.
•

On April 25, May 2, and May 9 we will be hosting an in-class graduate conference. Here, you will share
your work with your peers and professors in the Department of English and Comparative Literature.

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