The YouTopia of Fandoms: How We Fit Into the Creative Interdisciplinary Research, Writing, and Worldbuilding

a Discovery Core Experience

BCORE 117 (Arts & Humanities)

About This Course

Have you spent hours looking up character bios from your favorite movie series? Have you scoured Reddit fan sites finding information about your favorite TV show? Have you written or drawn fanfiction of your favorite comic book? Whether its movies, shows, comics books–or any other pop culture artifact with an expansive universe–a lot of creative and critical thought goes into building the fictional worlds we enjoy watching or reading. These creators often use research too. And of course, writing is with them at every step: from original ideas written on scraps of paper, to the multiple drafts that get peer reviewed and revised, ending on the final product that we all read or watch.

This course contains research and writing, but both critical **and** creative. 

What Will Students Be Doing?

You’ll explore your favorite, specific fictional worlds to unpack the various societal features. What social customs do people follow? What scientific tools and methods do they use to solve problems? And, most importantly, how did their world get to be the way it is? Was there some great disaster? Was it overcome? Or was there prosperity; yet, secretly, silently waiting was some societal ill ready to strike?

Are There Opportunities for Creativity?

Yes! Students will research academic and professional topics related to your intended majors, in order to further explore how research functions within and across disciplines. Combining those research processes with creative writing activities, as a class we’ll then build our own fictional world, seeing the challenges and possibilities related to crafting a society, even if fictional.

How Does This Help Prepare Me For Major & Career?

Throughout the quarter, students will reflect on their reading, writing, and research processes, in order to help prepare you for future coursework and professions.

Professor Peter Brooks (he/him/his)

School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences

About Professor Brooks

  • Currently an Assistant Teaching Professor in FYPP and IAS.
  • Is a first generation college student!
  • As an undergrad, knew he was going to major in Film yet later discovered he liked English and Philosophy from just trying out those classes.
  • Was also on his campus radio station for two and a half years and loved it! College radio is the best!
  • His undergraduate, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, is kinda like UW Bothell in many ways.
  • Has also attended Arizona State University, New Mexico State University, and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
  • In addition to his BA in Radio/TV/Film he has an MFA, M.Ed., and PhD.
  • Has academic interests/backgrounds in Film, Media Studies, Game Studies, Creative Writing, Professional/Technical Writing, College Student Counseling & Development, and Composition (which he teaches here at UWB!!!).
  • Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin but has lived in four other states!
  • Loves all kinds of dogs, and video games, and word games (like Scrabble).
  • Has worked at Bothell for five plus years and enjoys working here because of the small class sizes and small community! He also advises the club HerCampus and works closely with the Writing and Communication Center.

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