GERST 3575

Introduction to Black German Studies

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

During her time in Germany, the U.S. poet Audre Lorde (who described herself as "Black, lesbian, mother, warrior poet") sought out community and encouraged Black Germans to speak up and make themselves visible as Afro-Germans in a country that often ignored or invalidated their existences. This is one of many crucial moments in Black German history and Black German Studies. In this course will explore the histories, activism, literature, and scholarship that arise from Afro-German communities and have shaped the field of Black German Studies. We will engage with films, novels, poetry, short stories, graphic narratives, music videos, and scholarly essays. Considering the great variety of media and genres, we will spend class time not only developing a shared vocabulary to talk about each text, but we will also learn to apply differing methods of analysis in our class discussions and individual assignments.

When Offered Spring.

Distribution Category (ALC-AS, SCD-AS) (CA-AG, LA-AG, D-AG)

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