Winter 2026 Class Descriptions
WINTER 2026 course descriptions
101-8-20 – First Year Writing Seminar: Fighting Apartheid, Locally and Globally
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: Black Love in Literature
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.
213-0-20 – History of the Black World
Introductory survey of the history of Africans and their descendants across the globe. African civilizations prior to European colonialism, encounters between Africa and Europe, movements of "Africans" to the Americas and elsewhere, and development of black communities in and outside Africa.
380-0-20 – Topics in Black Studies: 30 years of Black film: From the 1990s to the present
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 Black Studies: Screening Blackness: On Race, Sexuality, and the Moving Image
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 Black Studies: Black Gospel Music in America
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 Black Studies: 19th Century Black New World Literature
Advanced work on social, cultural, or historical topics. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: Advanced student or senior standing.
380-0-24 – Topics in Black Studies: African American Politics
Advanced work on social, cultural, or historical topics. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: Advanced student or senior standing.
403-0-20 – Theorizing Blackness and Diaspora
Introduces students to cultural, social, historical, artistic, and theoretical approaches to developing a global analytics of Blackness. Surveys Blackness as a category of critical analysis for both historical and contemporary social formations in the African Diaspora. Considers how gender, class, sexuality, and nationality shape the territory of Blackness.
480-0-20 – Graduate Topics: Black Lives, Black Research
Explores special topics pertinent to Black Studies. Content changes with instructor.
480-0-21 – Graduate Topics: Toni Morrison
Explores special topics pertinent to Black Studies. Content changes with instructor.