Critical Race & Ethnic Studies: Race, Class, Gender & Lit

Introductory courses addressing the representation and construction of race in literature and/or the contributions of ethnically diverse writers to the American culture. May repeat for credit with different content. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years. Cross-listed with: ENGL 1210.

Open to degree and PACE students; Cross listed with ENGL 1210; Total combined enrollment = 50

Course Description: This section of the course examines the intersection of racial, class, gendered and sexual forms of oppression, and the ways they are subverted by the agency of the oppressed in African American , Caribbean and African literatures. The following texts will be examined in detail: Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, Nella Larsen’s Passing, Amiri Baraka’s Dutchman, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, Countee Cullen’s poetry, Langston Hughes’s poetry, Claude Mckay’s poetry, Mariama Ba’s So Long a Letter, and Chimamanda Adichie’s Americanah. The Course satisfies D1 and AH2 requirements.

My teaching style favors a combination of discussion, Socratic-style debate, and very careful analysis of assigned texts (which means that you must ALWAYS have the required reading material with you in class). I ask that you come to class with your mouth, ears, heart, and mind open; that you listen to and respect each other; and that you challenge yourself, your classmates, and me to do our very best.

Grading is based on class attendance and participation; formal essays; group presentation.