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Black Feminism


Course Description

Examination of the ideas and practices of black feminists and womanists. Students will examine African communities within the diaspora, particularly the historical and contemporary debates of black women in the United States, including black womanhood, sexual mythologies and vulnerabilities, class distinctions, and the origins of black feminist thought.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be expected to complete additional reading of primary sources and other notable texts in black feminism/womanism. They will be asked to outline these additional materials and present them to the class. Furthermore, they will be expected to complete a longer paper (20 pages) of a publishable or near-publishable level of quality and complexity.


Athena Title

BLACK FEMINISM


Prerequisite

WMST 4010/6010


Undergraduate Pre or Corequisite

WMST 1110 or WMST 2010 or permission of department


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

Students should develop an appreciation for and understanding of the lives of black women in historical and contemporary America. They should be able to articulate the relationship between historical notions of black womanhood (particularly the legacy of slavery and racial-sexual violence) and contemporary concerns of black feminists and womanists.


Topical Outline

1. Introduction to the ideas of Black feminism and womanism 2. Black feminism and womanism in contemporary perspective 3. Black feminism in historical perspective 4. Contemporary Black feminism: issues and responses 5. Conclusion


Syllabus