English 273 - U.S. Black Literature and Culture II: Modern and Contemporary Black Writers

(Offered as ENGL 273, BLST 373, and SWAG 273) This course surveys the past roughly seventy-five years of African American literature and culture. Beginning in the mid-twentieth century with Ralph Ellison’s 1952 magnum opus Invisible Man, we will explore some of the major issues that have shaped the production of late African American literature, including the rise of various critical discourses (postmodernism, feminist theory, queer theory, black internationalism) as well as the influence of numerous twentieth and twenty-first century U.S. social movements (such as the civil rights, black power, women’s rights, and black lives matter movements). Special attention will be paid to various “new directions” in the field of African American literature over the course of the past thirty years. We will likely engage with works of Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison, Octavia Butler, Jesmyn Ward, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ross Gay, Clint Smith, Roxanne Gay, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs, among others. This course builds on—but does not require or assume previous enrollment in—“U.S. Black Literature and Culture I.” 

Limited to 25 students. Spring semester. F.  Roberts.

How to handle overenrollment: Preference will be given to English, Black Studies, and SWAGS majors

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Emphasis on written work including weekly journal entries, readings, oral presentations, active in-class verbal participation, group work, in-class quizzes or exams.