This module enables students to explore the relationship between formal innovation in the contemporary novel and the expression of social, political, and ethical questions. Across the module, we will encounter writers who invite readers to reflect on the cultural status, aesthetic potential, and political mission of the novel as a form. Secondary criticism and theoretical frames will be integrated as the weeks unfold. Students will be encouraged to devise and develop their own avenues of inquiry in preparation for the final assessment on a topic of their choice.