Studying the Pynchon/apocalyptic fiction junction

[Daniel Cape]

Hello liszters,

I've recently discovered this frankly amazing resource, and have been
lurking about a bit listening in. I thought it time to say g'day and
pose a question.

I've been thinking about undertaking postgraduate study at Master's
thesis level for some time now. I would like to do it in the arena of
apocalyptic fiction, and have been toying with authors and ideas (and,
of course, crises of self-doubt). Pynchon's works would be a fruitful
source to study, I think, but of course the critical industry
surrounding him is huge, and I suspect a lot's been done on this (for
starters, I've read the chapter on Pynchon in Joseph Dewey's monograph
_In A Dark Time_). What do you think?

Furthermore, I've recently picked up some film papers for phun (incl.
a brilliant genre study of horror!), and have begun reading Vineland
-- looking at all those movie refs. the possibility of an
interdisciplinary study on film and lit looking at Pynchon excites,
but again i suspect a LOT has been written on this. What do you think?

I'd quite like to travel someplace to study (I'm in New Zealand), and
would also like to ask if you knew of any taught Master's programmes
that focus on utopian/dystopian/apocalytpic fiction, especially in
Europe, but also in North America, and any recommendations for centres
of Pynchon studies.

Thanks, your help is mucho appreciated,

:D a n

PS: My experience of Pynchon so far; CoL49, GR, V., Slow Learner, and,
partially, Vineland. I'm like Pac Man nam nam nam.