Comparative Racial and Gender Politics of South Africa and the U.S.

Catalog description

This course explores the comparative racial and gendered politics of the U.S. and South Africa. With a central focus on "whiteness" and masculinity, we will examine the history of the two countries, with an emphasis on colonialism, slavery, and apartheid, the legal context of Jim Crow laws in the U.S. and the apparatus supporting apartheid in South Africa, the transition to the civil rights era in the U.S. and to democracy in South Africa, and the implications for contemporary political struggles. Three other areas of focus include: the theme of sexuality and race in novels, the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the social and political importance of music in the transformations in both countries. Students will travel to South Africa after the course for a period of two weeks. During this time, students will meet with various representatives from organizations, agencies,government.