Basic Course Description -- The Dissident Press

As an introduction to the community of zine & independent publications, this course will focus on the socio-political history of independent, underground, dissident, and radical publications. We will start with early Revolutionary War documentation and make our way to contemporary radical, soft-anarchist zines. There’s a lot of ground to cover in between though, so all students must be ready and willing to read and respond to a lot of history each and every day. At least two fieldtrips to the Wisconsin Historical Society are planned to view primary documentation in the archives. Be prepared to have strong, on-going discussions about censorship issues and First Amendment history. All students are required to meet deadlines and use class time effectively. It is recommended that all students interested in taking the Zine Scene Part II class next quarter take this course as a foundation for personal writing projects. Homework is expected.