Topics in African-American Studies (380-0-20)

Topic

Critical Concepts in Black Studies

Instructors

Barnor Hesse
8474913775
1860 Campus Dr Crowe 5-131

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-335: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 2:00PM - 5:30PM

Overview of class

The aim of this course is to introduce students to the importance of identifying, understanding and analyzing critical concepts in Black Studies. In Black Studies critical concepts are useful in two ways: first, revealing the colonial-racial terms in which western societies sustain and conceal their historical forms of domination, stratification and subordination; second, in advancing explanations based on the Black experience of modernity that enable a more critical and accountable understanding of western societies. Through this course students will be introduced to a range of concepts, often used descriptively or not explained though familiar in popular discourse (e.g. ‘Blackness', ‘Abolition', ‘Anti-Slavery'). Throughout the course students will learn techniques for evaluating and applying concepts. Overall, the course will challenge students to think more analytically, critically and methodologically about role of critical concepts in Black studies research.

Class Attributes

Face to face: In person, in campus space