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First-Year Writing Seminar (105-8-1)

Instructors

Jacob Charles Brown
847/491-4389
3-149 Crowe Hall
Office Hours: Wednesdays and Fridays from 11am-12pm

Meeting Info

University Library 4770: Mon, Wed, Fri 12:00PM - 12:50PM

Overview of class

Afro-Brazilian Writing, Culture, and Perspectives

Black writing matters, and Afro-Brazilian authors have made indispensable contributions to the literature of the African diaspora. Brazil has the largest Afrodescendant population outside of Africa. It was the last nation in the Western hemisphere to officially abolish slavery in 1888, and it imported more enslaved human beings from the transatlantic slave trade than any other country in the world. Africans and their descendants have shaped virtually every aspect of Brazilian culture, including its literary and intellectual production. Students will thus take a critical look at Brazilian history, and society through the lens of Afro-Brazilian fiction, poetry, testimony, Black feminist theory, graphic novels, documentary, and song lyrics. By the end of the course, students will be able to name some of the most influential Afro-Brazilian authors and make meaningful connections and comparisons between their rich and multifaceted works. Students will also be able to write and talk about how Black authors have challenged racism and intersecting structures of oppression in a global context from the 19th century to the present. Students will leave the class with an appreciation for how Afro-Brazilian literature can help us not only critique society but also collectively imagine a more equitable and inclusive future for all in Brazil and beyond.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students will be able to

- Name some of the most influential Afro-Brazilian authors from the 19th century to the present
- Make meaningful connections and comparisons between their rich and multifaceted works
- Identify key concepts and themes in literary texts and analyze them in written and oral contexts
- Support original arguments with textual evidence from assigned readings and independent research
- Write and talk about how Black authors have challenged intersecting structures of oppression
- Reflect on and express their own learning from the course in written and oral contexts

Evaluation Method

- Attendance and participation ungraded
- Written Reflections 20%
- Critical Analysis 1 15%
- Critical Analysis 2 15%
- Friday Reflections 15%
- Poster Project 15%
- Team Guest-Lecture 15%
- Author presentation 5%

Class Materials (Required)

All class materials will be provided by the instructor

Class Materials (Suggested)

Poems, short stories, documentaries, articles, and other materials will be uploaded onto Canvas for student access.

Class Attributes

WCAS Writing Seminar