Universität Wien

123220 SE Literary Seminar / BA-Arbeit / MA American/North American Lit./Studies (2023S)

Afrofuturism in American Literature

11.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 12 - Anglistik
Continuous assessment of course work
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 18 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

The final session on Tue June 27 will be replaced with mandatory attendance at an evening guest lecture by Prof. Andrea Davis (York University) on June 29, 6-8 pm (at Hofburg, details tba)

  • Tuesday 07.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 14.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 21.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 28.03. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 18.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 25.04. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 02.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 09.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 16.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 23.05. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 06.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 13.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 20.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19
  • Tuesday 27.06. 09:45 - 11:15 Raum 4 Anglistik UniCampus Hof 8 3E-EG-19

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

AFROFUTURISM IN NORTH AMERICAN LITERATURE
Synopsis: In this seminar in American literary studies, we will explore how African American literatures have imagined black futures out of the bedrock of Afrodiasporic experience from the early 20th century onward. We will explore instances of black science fiction in terms of Afrofuturism—a term coined by Mark Dery in 1993—as a cultural aesthetic underpinned by a philosophy of science and history that addresses themes and concerns of the African American diaspora such as alienation of the black body, postapocalyptic temporalities, and science/spirituality intersections. Through an Afrofuturist technocritical lens, we will explore Black speculative literatures from the US, Canada, and the Caribbean.

The goal of this seminar is to familiarize students with Afrofuturism as a concept as well as with African American literary writing in the 20th and 21st centuries and to enable them to write an independent research paper in this field.
Teaching methods: input phases, pair and group work, class discussions

Assessment and permitted materials

active class participation (max. 2 missed sessions), incl. discussions and minor assignments
oral presentation (in pairs)
written seminar paper (due August 31)

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

class participation 25%
oral presentation 25%
written seminar paper (due August 31) 50%

Examination topics

All material to be discussed in class (primary and secondary literature) must be read and prepared in advance of each session.
Student presentations must be research-based and include a handout as well as a powerpoint (or similar) presentation.
Seminar papers need to be based on independent research and have to be discussed with me in advance.

Reading list

Please obtain:
George Schuyler, /Black No More/ (Penguin Classics ed.)
Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower
short stories and poetry as well as theoretical texts will be offered via Moodle

Association in the course directory

Studium: BA 612, MA 844(2)
Code/Modul: BA10.2, MA 4.1, 4.2
Lehrinhalt: 12-0375

Last modified: Fr 10.03.2023 19:28