ENGL-236 Contemporary African American Literature

Professor Bernard

This seminar introduces students to contemporary African American Literature from 1970 to the present. Throughout the semester we will consider a range of genres--the novel, short story, poetry, drama, and film. We will also contemplate representations of gender and sexuality along with developments in literary theory and criticism, and the often complex connections that are fostered between narrative, history, memory, and resistance in the post-Civil Rights, postmodern era. Some questions we will raise: How do these texts speak to the past, to a sense of "tradition," as well as to contemporary social and political concerns regarding ideals of blackness, multi-ethnicity and Americanness? Further, how do such artistic productions embrace the idea of formal "experimentation"?

Other academic years
There is information about this course number in other academic years:

• 2012-2013 Fall and Spring

More information
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