SOC 280CModern Middle East1800-Present

Catalog

This course introduces the student to the major forms of literary activity on the African continent. We begin with a survey of the African world: its physical and human geography, and its social, political and cultural history and institutions. We move on to an examination of the oral literature, which enjoys a great deal of interest and continues to influence much of African writing today. We will also read literature and other media from around the continent that give voice to different histories and the ways in which they are connected through global relations and networks of power. Most of the course will, however, focus on a study of modern African creative writing, through readings of published fiction, drama and poetry. By covering a wide range of genres and diverse geographical regions, the goal is for students to acquire a general understanding of the most important issues for African writers and artists, both historically and today. The course will also serve as an introduction to literary studies, and thus will focus on reading and writing skills, as well as basic techniques of literary analysis and academic communication.