Course Description
A detailed examination of selected forms and ideas in African American, Native American, Latino/a, and/or Asian American literature.
Athena Title
MULTICULT SEMINAR
Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Students will be expected to achieve the following: 1) A detailed understanding of theoretical issues in Multicultural American Literature. 2) A historically rich sense of African American, Native American, Latino/a, and/or Asian American culture. 3) Command of research techniques using primary material, secondary material, material culture, and/or oral history. 4) The ability to write a publishable paper. 5) A greater awareness of pedagogical issues involved in teaching Multicultural American literature.
Topical Outline
This course will be taught by professors with a wide variety of specialities within the field of Multicultural American Literature, thus texts and cultural contexts will vary from semester to semester. One course that will be offered is "The Origins of Native American Literature." This course will include: 1) A study of the cultural influences on contemporary Native writers. 2) A broader understanding of Native American "literature" (e.g. oral tradition, dances, rock art, pictographic histories, pottery, myths, etc.). 3) Contemporary theoretical issues in both the academic and Native American communities. 4) A detailed historical background (e.g. legal decisions, treaties, Native American representations of history, tribal origin myths, etc.)