Summer 2008

E f370W • Black Lesbian Literature and Film

Course Description

Black lesbians provide a unique contribution to discussions of community, family, gender categories and sexuality. This seminar will combine elements of Black Studies and Queer Studies in order to analyze written works and films/videos by and about Black women. Emphasis will be on understanding the historical and theoretical construction of sexual and gender identities and sexual/cultural practices in Black communities. In this class, terms like "Black," "women" and "queer" will be interrogated in order to examine the nexus of race, sexuality and sex in the context of class and location. Special attention will be paid to the construction of race, gender and sexual identities in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Grading Policy

Students will be asked to provide an abstract of their long paper and group members must meet with the professor during office hours.

Two Short Response Papers (2 pgs ea.), 20%
Long Analysis Paper (8 pgs), 40%
Group Presentation Paper (4pgs), 20%
Participation and Questions, 10%
Attendance, 10%

Texts

Cherry Muhanji, Her
Audre Lorde, Zami
Jackie Kay, Trumpet
Dionne Brand, Another Place, Not Here
Sharon Bridgeforth, Love, Conjure, Blues

Films: To Be Announced. Even though these are films and not paper reading material, all films are required texts for the class.

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