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For SNU students who are enrolling in the Global Interdisciplinary Seminar to get credits for your online course taken in Fall 2024, I will contact you separately to set up a Zoom meeting in March. You can ignore the content below.

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Global Interdisciplinary Seminar: Mathematical Fiction

Instructor: Prof. Sumin Kim

Office: Building 220, Room 313-2

Office hours: By appointment (email me)

Email: [email protected]

Semester: Spring 2025

Course Period: 8 April-17 June 2025

Course Time: Tuesdays 10 am-1 pm (Korea, Japan); Tuesdays 9 am-12 pm (China, Singapore)

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The course welcomes students from Seoul National University, Rikkyo University, Peking University, and the National University of Singapore. Students enrolled in the course will have opportunities to interact with students from some or all of these universities.

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This course is conducted entirely online. SNU students may use Building 220, Room 206 during class hours for WiFi access.

Please do not sign up for this course if you are looking for an easy course to take. Students must keep their cameras on during class and actively participate in discussions with their peers. Late sign-ins and lack of engagement with other students may result in a deduction in your final grade.

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The course runs for 10 weeks from April to June 2025.

I will accept a maximum of 6 students from each university. While I would like to accommodate more students, this class size limit ensures the best possible learning experience for everyone. (To SNU students: feel free to apply for “정원외” on MySNU in case there is a free spot.)

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📜 Course Description

This course explores how literary writers experiment with mathematics to construct narratives and deepen their philosophical and social inquiries. Students will study key examples of mathematical fiction: Edwin A. Abbott's Flatland (1884), Raymond Queneau's "A Story of Your Own" ("Un conte à votre façon", 1967), and Yōko Ogawa's The Housekeeper and the Professor (博士の愛した数式, 2006). Through analysis and discussion, students will examine how these writers use mathematics to construct plots, develop characters, explore themes, and investigate philosophical and sociopolitical questions. For their final project, students will write a short work of fiction that features a mathematical concept or structure as a central element in its plot or character development.

🎯 Course Objectives

  1. Understand the role of mathematics in literature: Explore how writers incorporate mathematical concepts and structures to develop sophisticated narratives.
  2. Examine interdisciplinary themes: Connect mathematical ideas with broader literary, philosophical, and sociopolitical questions.
  3. Analyze texts: Develop close reading skills and write analytical essays that present evidence-based arguments and precise textual analysis.
  4. Experiment creatively: Produce a short work of fiction that integrates mathematical concepts and structures to engage with existing mathematical fiction.
  5. Communicate clearly: Express ideas and opinions clearly to students from diverse disciplinary and cultural backgrounds.
  6. Collaborate responsibly: Practice active listening and provide thoughtful feedback on peers' ideas and works.

This course develops three key skills from the ACE program's Cubic Curriculum: Critical Thinking, Communication, and Collaboration (for more information on the Cubic Curriculum, see https://clscampusasia.snu.ac.kr/curriculum/).

🗝 Enrollment

Recommended Preparation: