History, Identity, and Place

Catalog description

How does identity impact historical narrative? How do communities tell their own histories, especially those that have been omitted from the historical record? What happens when communities disagree about place and placemaking? In this course, we will examine the roles of history, identity, and place as we explore the literature, the historiography, and the practices of community history with a focus on New York City. By reading some of the formative histories of different communities and putting them into dialogue with readings, including graphic novels, about identity and place, we will examine the changing nature of community given the evolving interpretations of race, class, gender, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality. We will be collaborating with the Place Matters program of local, non-profit, Citylore, on the final project. Guest speakers may include archivists, memory workers, and public historians. Readings may include works by Benedict Anderson, George Chauncey, Kimberle Crenshaw, Timothy J. Gilfoyle, Leslie M. Harris, Judith Heumann, Alison Kafer, Nell Painter, Kirk Savage, Christina Sharpe, and John Kuo Wei Tchen.