Beyond the Gaucho: Argentine Short Stories from the 20th and 21st Centuries with Phoebe Oathout, A&S '23 (MFA)

Beyond the Gaucho: Argentine Short Stories from the 20th and 21st Centuries
Instructor: Phoebe Oathout, A&S '23 (MFA)
October 21, 2026 - December 2, 2026 (6 Sessions) *skips Thanksgiving week
Wednesdays, 7:00PM - 9:00PM ET 
Virtual via Zoom

Brought to you by Odyssey  

Course Description: For readers and writers alike, this course explores the art of the Argentine short story—from the metaphysical puzzles of Jorge Luis Borges to the mind-bending speculative fiction of contemporary writers. The goals of this course are to introduce students to twentieth- and twenty-first-century Argentine short prose that engages with the styles, themes, and techniques of their place and time. As we read, students will reflect on several questions: How have Argentine writers represented national identity in a country shaped by immigration, dictatorship, and economic upheaval? How do writers balance local concerns with cosmopolitan influences from Europe and beyond? What role do fantasy, absurdity, and the uncanny play in Argentine literature? How do these stories challenge conventional ideas of reality, history, and memory?

Weekly topics will include Labyrinths and Metafiction, The Fantastic and the Uncanny, Urban Life in Buenos Aires, Dictatorship and Memory, Borders and Exile, and Contemporary Argentine Speculative Fiction. Stories we read will include “The Garden of Forking Paths” by Jorge Luis Borges, “House Taken Over” by Julio Cortázar, “The Fur Coat” by Silvina Ocampo, and “Butterflies” by Samanta Schweblin, among others.

Explore the full Fall 2026 Odyssey catalog and discover engaging courses taught by Johns Hopkins alumni, faculty and community experts.

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