Taught By:
Crystal Harris
Assistant Professor of English
University of Central Arkansas
cdr02003@uca.edu
Read profile here.
Course Description:
As a class, we will explore the cultural, historical, emotional, spiritual, and political realities that substantiate each group and social moment. “Bodies worth justice” is the particular theme for this course; bodies represent physical bodies or groups of people who are often marginalized. Also included in this term are often disregarded bodies of knowledge and thought. Class discussion and assignments will emphasize literary analysis, critical thought, and clarity through written, oral, and multi-modal modes of expression. This course engages the student in a comparative study of authors’ aesthetics, influences, and themes with the purpose of establishing community. Many readings are organized to enhance the discovery of kinships and tensions between different literatures and cultures to enhance understanding of social responsibility and action.
Justice and Social Action course description:
This course serves as an introduction to historic and contemporary experiences of African-descended peoples--including the United States, Caribbean, Latin America, and Africa. We will examine major literary texts, discourses, and performances that are relevant to their historical marginalization and liberation. The course is constructed around major themes in Black intellectual and literary thought such as the diaspora, gender, Black power, meanings of Blackness, inter and intracommunal conflict, uplift and nationalism. While attending to narratives and theories that concern African descended people, the course is designed with a focus on justice and social action with global impact.
