Spring 2025 Class Descriptions
SPRING 2025 course descriptions
101-8-20 – First Year Writing Seminar: TBA
Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and focused on the fundamentals of effective, college-level written communication. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated. Topic varies by instructor
211-0-20 – Literatures of the Black World
Introductory survey of fiction, poetry, drama, folktales, and other literary forms of Africa and the African diaspora. Texts may span the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial periods and cover central themes, such as memory, trauma, spirituality, struggle, identity, freedom, and humor.
212-1-20 – Introduction to African American History 1: Key Concepts From 1700-1861
African origins, the slave trade, origins of slavery and racism in the United States, life under slavery in the North and the South. AF_AM_ST 212-1 and HISTORY 212-1 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses.
220-0-20 – Civil Rights and Black Liberation
The Northern and Southern civil rights movements and the rise of black nationalism and feminism, 1945-72.
339-0-20 – Unsettling Whiteness
Making the historical, political, and cultural formation of whiteness in Western modernity visible and narratable for commentary and analysis. Particular reference to contemporary culture.
375-0-20 – Post Colonial African American Studies
Development of critical approaches to African American studies from the perspectives of postcolonial analysis. In particular, examination of the meaning of the colonial in the formation of African American experiences and the significance of modernity, race, and black politics in the historical contexts of the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
380-0-20 – Topics in African American Studies: The Politics of Abolition
Advanced work on social, cultural, or historical topics. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: Advanced student or senior standing.
380-0-21 – Topics in African American Studies: Studies in African American Literature: The Black Novel
Advanced work on social, cultural, or historical topics. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: Advanced student or senior standing.
380-0-22 – Topics in African American Studies: Black sexualities
Advanced work on social, cultural, or historical topics. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: Advanced student or senior standing.
380-0-23 – Topics in African American Studies: TBA
Advanced work on social, cultural, or historical topics. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: Advanced student or senior standing.
420-0-20 – Expressive Arts and Cultural Studies
Utilizes slave narratives, fiction, poetry, music, drama, critical theory, and the visual arts to survey how African-descended writers, artists, and theorists have grappled with such issues as: the relationship to Africa; self-articulation and struggle; performance as a site of knowledge production and contestation; and the global circulation of Black cultural production.
480-0-20 – Graduate Topics in African American Studies: Afrofeminists: Black Women in Europe
Explores special topics pertinent to Black Studies. Content changes with instructor.
480-0-21 – Graduate Topics in African American Studies: Neo-Liberalism and its Discontents
Explores special topics pertinent to Black Studies. Content changes with instructor.
480-0-22 – Graduate Topics: Studies in African American Literature: The Black Novel
Explores special topics pertinent to Black Studies. Content changes with instructor.