Expository Writing (105-0-20)

Topic

Dreaming Alternative Worlds in Black and Indigenou

Instructors

Kai Avery Chase

Meeting Info

University Hall 318: Tues, Thurs 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

This course will explore alternative worlds and histories imagined by Black and Indigenous scholars, artists, and activists. We will explore the ways Black and Indigenous Studies mourn past and present injustices while also imagining possibilities for the future. In a world of tumultuous uproar and devastation, how do these writers dream of other possibilities? Our readings will be grounded in site-specific histories, like the Anishinaabe land Northwestern currently occupies. We will often work in post-apocalyptic and fantastical contexts, such as the cyborg-futures of Janelle Monáe. We will attend to a variety of mediums—from video games to music albums and more—to consider how dreaming and imagination play out across varied genres. Assignments will emphasize expository writing skills as a means of imagining, articulating, and expressing possibilities for more just worlds.

Class Materials (Required)

Leeanne Simpson and Robyn Maynard, Rehearsals for Living (ISBN: 978-1642596892); Rebecca Roanhorse (Diné), Susan Power, Roofwalker (ISBN 978-1571310415)