ENGL 1102: Apocalyptic Nightmares: The Cultural Politics of Zombies in Popular
Media
Spring 2008
Instructor: Andrea Wood
Office: 303 Skiles
Office Hours: MWF 1:05-1:55 or by appointment
Class Meeting Times/Locations: Section G5-MWF
12:05-12:55/TBA; SectionL-MWF 2:05-2:55/Skiles 311;
Section E-MWF 3:05-3:55/Skiles 311
Email: andrea.wood@lcc.gatech.edu
General Overview
Section Overview
Required Texts
In our section of ENGL 1102 we will be examining how the
theme of apocalypse in zombie films, books, and comics plays a
critical role in conceptualizing notions of futurity and survival in
a nightmarish time and place. In particular, we will be
considering the ways in which visions of zombie apocalypse
intersect with contemporary cultural anxieties and fears about
resistant youth culture, nationalism and identity, and sexual and
reproductive agency against the backdrop of decomposing social
landscapes. While this course also emphasizes important
elements of historical context in each respective zombie
narrative that we analyze, it will seek to identify cultural
connections across time periods in order to consider how certain
anxieties persist even if they manifest in different ways.
Tentative texts include George A. Romero’s Dead films, Danny
Boyle’s 28 Days Later, Naoyuki Tomomatsu’s Stacy, Garth
Ennis and Jacen Burrows’s Chronicles of Wormwood, Warren
Ellis and Max Fiumara’s Blackgas, Max Brooks’s The Zombie
Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead and
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War.
Books:
1. Matt Brooks The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete
Protection from the Living Dead
2. Matt Brooks World War Z: An Oral History of the
Zombie War
3. Ross Campbell The Abandoned
4. Brian Keene The Rising
5. Stephen King Cell
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Films: (There will be at least one copy of most films in
the library on reserve; Students will be expected to
watch the films on their own time by the required class
date listed in the syllabus—thus, they will be expected
to either rent the film or view the library copy. I will
hold an out of class screening for more obscure films
when needed.)
1. George Romero Night of the Living Dead
2. George Romero Dawn of the Dead
3. George Romero Day of the Dead
4. Danny Boyle 28 Days Later
5. Zack Snyder Dawn of the Dead (2004)
6. Naoyuki Tomomatsu Stacy
Note: There will be one final film shown in class during the last
week of school as a bit of a break. I will allow the class to vote
on which film they would like to watch. Some options will be:
 George Romero Land of the Dead
 Paul W.S. Anderson Resident Evil
 Edgar Wright Shaun of the Dead
 Peter Jackson Dead Alive
 Lucio Fulci Zomi 2 (aka Zombie Flesh-Eaters)
 Sam Raimi The Evil Dead
Required
Supplemental Texts
There will be several supplemental required readings
throughout the semester that will be made available on ereserve in the library. Students will be responsible for printing
out copies of these texts on their own and reading them for the
dates assigned in the schedule.
Required Software
Students will be expected to use a word processing program
(like MS Word) for all papers. For web assignments, students
will need to use an HTML editing program of their choice. For
those who are unfamiliar with HTML editing, I recommend
using Dreamweaver which is a simple WYSIWYG editor that is
readily available for students to use for free on many campus
computers.
Required Materials
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1 pocket folder
Loose leaf lined paper and pens for in-class writing
assignments and notes
Form of backup for assignments (CD-ROM, flashstick
drive, etc.)
Name card (I will give details about this on the first day
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of class)
Attendance
I will be monitoring attendance for this class. Students are
allowed to miss 4 class sessions without penalty (this includes
sick days). I will deduct 10% from their final grade for each
additional absence thereafter. In other words, if a student with
a 90% in the class has five absences their final grade will be
dropped to 80%.
If students are absent, they are still expected to turn assigned
work in on time (either submitting it to me via email by the
beginning of the class period or having a fellow class member
turn it in for them).
It is also the student’s responsibility to contact me about their
absence in a prompt fashion and to find out what they missed.
Tardiness is unacceptable in my class. Students are expected to
be on time and prepared for class. Repeated tardies will begin
to count as absences and will negatively affect students’ grades.
Classroom Dynamics
and Participation
This course aims to generate an interactive, engaging, and
critical dialogue between all members of the class. Therefore,
regular participation in class discussions is mandatory and each
student will receive a grade for their efforts at the end of the
semester, amounting to 10% of their final grade. While I will at
times lecture on some of the scholarly articles and other texts
when I deem it necessary, my overall expectation is that we will
work together as a group to come to more complex and varied
understandings of the materials covered over the course of the
semester.
Non-Discrimination
This class does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age,
religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status,
disability, or status as a veteran. Alternative viewpoints are
welcome; however, statements that are deemed racist, sexist,
homophobic, classist, or otherwise discriminatory toward others
in the class or outside the class will not be tolerated.
Personal Technology
in the Classroom
For the sake of common courtesy, all cell phones and beepers
must be turned off during class. If your cell phone goes off
during class I will confiscate the phone until the end of
the class period. Text messaging is also not allowed during
class time.
ENGL 1101/Wood/Fall 2007
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PDAs, iPods, and any other hand-held portable devices must be
turned off during class or they will also be confiscated.
Laptops are allowed in the classroom for certain activities. I
will, however, indicate when students may and may not use
them. Any students who use their computers for non-class
related purposes (such as email, IM, web surfing, etc.) will lose
participation points. Repeated instances will result in a
disciplinary meeting with me.
Submitting
Assignments
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Format
All assignments must be completed and submitted at the
beginning of the class period on the due date and
in the assigned format.
If under special circumstances you know in advance that
you will be unable to attend class that day, you must
make arrangements with me submit the assignment to
me BEFORE the due date.
All students are required to save backup copies of
all of their work (CD-ROM or flashstick drives
are recommended). This is for your own protection. I
will not accept any excuses about lost work, home
computer meltdowns, etc. Therefore, students will
be expected to save their work at all stages of the
writing process to guard against any such computer
problems. Students should also bring the backup copy
with them to class whenever an assignment is due.
LATE ASSIGNMENTS: Each student is allowed to
turn in one major assignment late during the semester
(excluding group assignments and the final project).
They will then have one week from the original due date
in which to submit the assignment, thereafter it will
receive a zero. It is the student’s responsibility to
notify me NO LATER than the day before the
assignment is due that they will be submitting it
late. I will not accept the assignment late if I am notified
the day it is due.
Each assignment must follow MLA format and citation
guidelines unless indicated otherwise. I will deduct
points for incorrect formatting. If you’re unclear on how
to use MLA format, please review the section in your grammar
handbook.
Web assignments must employ MLA citation (for quotes,
images, etc.) and include a Works Cited section in the proper
bibliographic format.
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Academic Honesty
All work students turn in for this class must be their own, with
all outside reference sources properly cited and acknowledged.
All written assignments for this course will be turned in through
turnitin.com.
Students are expected to abide by the “Student Conduct Code of
the Rules and Regulations” (Georgia Institute of Technology
General Catalog, Section XIX) which states, “Academic
misconduct is an act that does or could improperly distort
student grades or other student academic records” and offers
the following descriptive list:
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Possessing, using, or exchanging improperly acquired
written or verbal information in the preparation of any
essay, laboratory report, examination, or other
assignment included in an academic course;
Substitution for, or unauthorized collaboration with, a
student in the commission of academic requirements;
Submission of material that is wholly or substantially
identical to that created or published by another person
or persons, without adequate credit notations indicating
authorship (plagiarism);
False claims of performance or work that has been
submitted by the claimant;
Alteration or insertion of any academic grade or rating so
as to obtain unearned academic credit;
Forgery, alteration or misuse of any institute document
relating to the academic status of the student.
The Code continues, “While these acts constitute assured
instances of academic misconduct, other acts of academic
misconduct may be defined by the professor.” Students should
consult the Honor Code online at
http://www.gatech.edu/honadv/honorcode.html or in the
General Catalog to remember ther primary commitment to
academic honesty.
Students who engage in academic dishonesty will receive a
“zero” on the assignment and may fail the course. In addition,
the instance will be reported to the Dean of Students who may
take further action.
Returning Graded
Assignments
I will endeavor to return graded assignments within two-three
weeks of receiving them. I recommend that students read all of
my comments carefully in order to learn which elements of their
writing need improvement.
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Students are required to keep all graded assignments in a pocket
folder until the end of the semester.
Note: I reserve the right to return late assignments with
minimal comments at whatever time I have completed assessing
them.
Questions about
Grades
Any concerns about individual assignment grades should be
addressed to me and not the Department. I will not discuss
grades the day that assignments are returned, as I
require that students take time to review and reflect on their
grade and my comments. I am happy to discuss graded
assignments 24 hours after they have been handed
back.
Students may keep track of their grade in the class by logging
into T-Square.
Conferences
I am always happy to meet with students outside of class during
my office hours or by appointment to discuss any of the texts we
are reading, to go over assignments, to explain comments on
graded papers, and to address any questions or concerns
students may have. I will have office hours every week so feel
free to drop by and just chat if you are so inclined. My office
hours are solely for students, so make the most of me as a
resource!
Student Problems and
Concerns
The stresses of the academic semester, coupled with personal
problems, can often seem overwhelming. If you are having
difficulty meeting the requirements and expectations of this
class, please come and see me immediately. While we can
discuss your situation, and depending on circumstance make
some accommodations, I must also emphasize that I am not a
counselor. If you are having personal problems, please get in
contact with the student counseling center
(http://www.counseling.gatech.edu/). Similarly, you should
make sure to know your academic advisor and meet with them
to discuss options for withdrawal or medical leave should it
become necessary.
Accommodations
Georgia Tech supports students through ADAPTS (Access
Disabled Assistance Program for Tech Students). Any student
who may require an accommodation for a documented disability
should inform me as soon as possible or as soon as you become
aware of your disability. Anyone who anticipates difficulties with
the content or format of the course due to a documented
ENGL 1101/Wood/Fall 2007
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disability should arrange a meeting so we can create a workable
plan for your success in this course.
ADAPTS serves any Georgia Tech student who has a
documented, qualifying disability. Official documentation of the
disability is required to determine eligibility for
accommodations or adaptations that may be helpful for this
course. Please make sure I receive a Faculty Accommodation
Letter form verifying your disability and specifying the
accommodation you need. ADAPTS operates under the
guidelines of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
 Visit: Smithgall Student Services Bldg, Suite 210 on 353
Ferst Dr.
 Email: adapts@vpss.gatech.edu.
 Call: 404-894-2563 (V); 404-894-1664 (TDD); 404-8949928 (fax)
Assignments
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Position Paper (5%): Students will have to write a 2-3
page position paper in response to Linda Williams’s essay
“Body Genres: Gender, Genre, and Excess.” They will
have to assess her argument and explain why they do or
do not agree with her ideas drawing from their own
opinions on the topic.
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Scene Analysis (10%): Students will be asked to
choose a particular scene or brief sequence from George
A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead and then write a 23 page analysis of it. The analysis will function as a close
reading of the scene in order to assess how symbolism,
metaphor, and ideology operate in a visual context.
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Personal Home Page (5%): After an in-class tutorial
on how to use Macromedia Dreamweaver, students will
be asked to create a personal home page for the class.
They are encouraged to be creative and to gear their
home page toward the topic of the class.
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Film Analysis Web Project (25%):
Topic Proposal (5%):
Annotated Bibliography (10%):
Final Web Project & Portfolio (30%):
Participation (10%):
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Evaluation
Grades for individual assignments will be assigned on a
percentage basis in keeping with the rubric below.
97%-100%
94%-96%
90%-93%
87%-89%
A+
A
AB+
84%-86%
80%-83%
77%-79%
74%-76%
B
BC+
C
70%-73% C
67%-69% D+
64%-66% D
60%-63% D59%-below F
Final grades for the semester will adhere to Georgia Tech’s
mandatory grading scale—note, there are no plus or minus
grades in this system.
90%-100%
80%-89%
70%-79%
60%-69%
59%-below
Disclaimer
A
B
C
D
F
As the instructor of this course, I reserve the right to make any
changes to the syllabus that I deem necessary over the course of
the semester. Students will be expected to make note of any
such changes and follow them accordingly.
ENGL 1101/Wood/Fall 2007
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Tentative Schedule (Subject to Change)
Week 1
Monday (01/07):
 First day of class—go over syllabus and discuss course goals
 HW: Prepare for zombie brainstorming activity on Wednesday
Wednesday (01/09):
 Introduction to zombies
 Short video and discussion
 HW: Make your name card; Prepare for class introductions
Friday (01/11): *Last day to change your schedule*
 Class introductions
 HW: Buy books
Week 2
Monday (01/14):
 In-class departmental diagnostic essay
 HW: Read Linda Williams’s “Body Genres: Gender, Genre, and
Excess.” (on course reserve) (Write short position paper in
response to article)
Wednesday (01/16):
 Position Paper Due
 Discuss article
 HW: Read Freud’s “The ‘Uncanny’” (on course reserve)
Friday (01/18):
 Discuss article
 HW: Watch Night of the Living Dead (streaming link on class
wiki/DVD copy in the library)
Week 3
Monday (01/21): NO SCHOOL (Official Holiday)
Wednesday (01/23):
 Discuss film
 HW: Read Newitz, Annalee. "The Undead: A Haunted
Whiteness." (on course reserve)
Friday (01/25):
 Discuss film in relation to article
 HW: Watch Dawn of the Dead (DVD copy in library; or rent it)
Week 4
Monday (01/28):
 Discuss film
 HW: Read Bishop, Kyle. "Raising the Dead." (on course reserve)
ENGL 1101/Wood/Fall 2007
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Wednesday (01/30):
 Go over scene analysis assignment
 Discuss film in relation to the article
 HW: Select the scene you plan to analyze; create brainstorm list
or diagram of your initial thoughts about the scene.
Week 5
Friday (02/01):
 In-class computer day—Introduction to Dreamweaver and how
to make a web page
 HW: Watch Day of the Dead (DVD copy in library; or rent it);
Complete scene analysis assignment
Monday (02/04):
 Scene Analysis Due
 Discuss film
 HW: Read Robin Wood’s “Day of the Dead: The Woman’s
Nightmare;” Complete Personal Home Page
Wednesday (02/06):
 Personal Home Page Due (submit URL to digital dropbox)
 Discuss film in relation to article
 HW: Read Clover, Carol. "The Eye of Horror." (on course
reserve)
Friday (02/08):
 Discuss article
 HW: Watch 28 Days Later (DVD copy in library; or rent it)
Week 6
Monday (02/11):
 Go over Film Analysis Web Project
 Discuss film
 HW: Begin brainstorming for your project; start working on web
layout
Wednesday (02/13):
 Discuss article and film
 HW: Continue working on web project
Friday (02/15):
 In-class computer day (come prepared to work on web project)
 HW: Watch Naoyuki Tomomatsu’s Stacy; Begin writing rough
draft of your analysis
Week 7
Monday (02/18):
 Discuss film
 HW: Continue working on analysis draft
Wednesday (02/20):
ENGL 1101/Wood/Fall 2007
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Discuss film
HW: Finish analysis draft; Email a copy to yourself and send
one to digital dropbox for Friday peer review
Friday (02/22):
 In-class computer day—peer review and work on web layout
 HW: Watch Zack Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead(DVD copy in
library; or rent it); Finish web project for Monday
Week 8
Monday (02/25):
 Film Analysis Web Project due
 Discuss film
 HW: Read Kristeva, Julia. “On the Abject.” (on course reserve)
Wednesday (02/27):
 Discuss article in relation to film
 HW: Read Ch.??-?? of Brian Keene’s The Rising
Week 9
Friday (02/29):
 Finish film discussion and begin going over readings
 HW: Read Ch. ??-?? of Brian Keene’s The Rising
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Monday (03/03):
 Discuss readings
 HW: Finish Brian Keene’s The Rising
Wednesday (03/05):
 Discuss conclusion of novel
 Go over Final Project Assignment
 HW: Begin working on topic proposal
Friday (03/07):
 In-class computer day—go over library, databases, and
secondary sources
 HW: Complete Topic Proposal
Week 10
Monday (03/10):
 Topic Proposals Due
 Go over how to write an annotated bibliography
 HW: Begin conducting preliminary research; Read Ross
Campbell’s The Abandoned
Wednesday (03/12):
 Discuss graphic novel
Friday (03/14):
 Online class day: Task TBA
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
Week 11
Week 12
HW: Read Ch. ??-?? of Stephen King’s Cell for Monday after
Spring Break
SPRING BREAK (03/17-03/21)
Monday (03/24):
 Discuss readings
 HW: Read Ch. ??-?? of Stephen King’s Cell
Wednesday (03/26):
 Discuss readings
 HW: Finish Stephen King’s Cell; complete online peer review for
partner
Week 13
Friday (03/28):
 Peer review due (email to partner and submit to digital dropbox)
 Discuss readings
 HW: Read Ch. ??-?? of Matt Brooks’s World War Z
Monday (03/31):
 Annotated Bibliography due
 Discuss readings
 HW: Read Ch. ??-?? of Matt Brooks’s World War Z
Wednesday (04/02):
 Discuss readings
 HW: Finish Matt Brooks’s World War Z
Friday (04/04):
 Discuss readings
 HW: Create an outline for how you intend to organize your web
project (i.e. sections, visual layout, etc.)
Week 14
Monday (04/07):
 In-class writing day—come prepared to begin working on draft
of your final project based on sections you plan to incorporate in
the web site
 HW: Continue working on your draft
Wednesday (04/09):
 In-class writing day—come prepared to begin working on draft
of your final project based on sections you plan to incorporate in
the web site
 HW: Finish rough draft for peer review
Friday (04/11):
 Rough Draft Due—peer review
 HW: Begin working on corrections to draft
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Week 15
Monday (04/14):
 In-class computer day—work on web project layout
 HW: Continue working on revisions and web design
Wednesday (04/16):
 In-class computer day—work on web project layout
 HW: Continue working on revisions and web design
Friday (04/18):
 In-class computer day—work on web project layout
 HW: Continue working on revisions and web design
Week 16
Monday (04/21):
 Peer Review of Final Project; Online Course Evaluations
 Start Screening final movie—determined by class vote
 HW: Work on final revisions to project
Wednesday (04/23):
 Continue video
Friday (04/25):
 Final Project Due
 Finish video and discuss—final thoughts for the semester
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ENGL 1101 Agreement Statement
I hereby acknowledge that I have read and understood the contents of this syllabus. I also
understand that I will be expected to adhere to the policies detailed therein.
____________________________________
_________________
Signature
Date
I agree to allow my work to be used anonymously for teaching purposes in this class
and others.
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