English 100

Other Readings and Media

Olaudah Equiano: The Interesting Narrative of Olaudah Equiano and Other Writings; Eduoard Glissant: The Fourth Century; Claude McKay: Banjo; Aim� C�saire: Notebooks of a Return to the Native Land; Maryse Cond�: Heremakhonon; Ben Okri: The Famished Road; Paul Gilroy: The Black Atlantic; essays by Peter Linebaugh, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Frantz Fanon & others are either in course readers or class handouts

Description

"In this course we will take a comparative look at the literature and cultural history of the African Diaspora, focusing on the area known as the Black Atlantic�North America, the Caribbean, and West Africa. This area comprises great cultural diversity, but is united by the common historical trauma of the Atlantic slave trade and colonization. Can we speak, however, of a unified culture for the African Diaspora? Where do the points in common arise and where do they diverge? We will look to this diverse selection of authors and intellectuals to answer this question and many more.



Expectations: This course offers a good deal of reading; part of your overall grade will be some demonstration of your preparedness. For this reason we will end each class with a brief student-led oral presentation and discussion. Attendance and class participation are vital."