TRN194H: Literature & Wicked Problems
TRN194H: Literature and Wicked Problems
Course Description
Pop culture depictions of mental health challenges, chronic illness and disability can diminish the nuance and beauty of living with an “unruly body,” concealing the rich tapestry of interdependence that keeps our world connected. In this seminar class, we will read contemporary fiction and critical essays that reveal how neurodivergence and disability has come to be framed as a problem – and how disabled storytellers are pushing back through artistic intervention. This class supports both creative and critical writing, featuring a personal reflection, pop culture analysis and a final book club paper, plus built-in connections to campus resources and accommodation support.
Course Instructor
Leanne Simpson
leanne.simpson@mail.utoronto.ca
| Leanne Toshiko Simpson (she/her) is a mixed-race Yonsei writer, educator and mental health advocate from Scarborough. She is a graduate of UTSC Creative Writing and the University of Guelph’s MFA, and is currently completing a SSHRC-supported EdD in Social Justice Education at the University of Toronto, focusing on the intergenerational impact of the Japanese Canadian internment. Leanne attended Trinity College as an undergraduate student and returned to teach as a writing instructor and lecturer a few years back. She also runs weekly creative writing circles for BIPOC students through Trinity’s Writing Centre. Her debut novel, Never Been Better, was released in 2024 with HarperCollins Canada and Putnam Books in the U.S. |  |