AS/HUMA 1300 9.0AAS/HUMA 1300 9.0AWELCOME TO

CULTURES OF RESISTANCE IN THE

AMERICAS: THE AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

York University2008-2009

Dr. Andrea DavisDr. Andrea Davis

Deputy Director, Center for Research on Latin America and the Caribbean (CERLAC)24OG York Lanes(416) 736-2100 x 33320aadavis@yorku.cawww.arts.yorku.ca/huma/aadavis

Office HoursWednesday, 2:30-3:30 Friday, 2:30-3:30 (fall)Thursday, 2:30-3:30 (winter)

TEACHING TEAMTEACHING TEAM

Sharifa Wright, tut. 1

Susan Sutherland, tut. 2

Reva Marin, tut. 3

Mark Campbell, tut. 4

Nedra Rodrigo, tut. 5

Daniel Pacella, tut. 6

Caribbean Bigger than the World

Barack Obama’s Hope for the Future

Quotes from around the worldQuotes from around the world

Nigeria: Obama's achievement can be seen not only as "a victory for America's Democratic Party" and not only as "a victory for America," but rather as "a triumphant, soul-edifying victory for mankind.“

Japan: "White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant. For a long time, it was said you had to be a 'WASP' to be in the mainstream of U.S. politics. It was as if Obama's nomination finally ended this long tradition. The dynamics of this shift ha[ve] undoubtedly been driven by Americans seeking a change in their country's politics, as well as [by] their hopes of overcoming their history of racial conflict.”

Canada: “Democratic National Convention was, at the very least, a superb display of American political theater."

What Do We Mean By African What Do We Mean By African American?American?

This course insists that black experiences inthe Americas be understood as part of historically and culturally interdependent processes. It focuses on the cultural experiences of black Diasporic peoples andcritically engages the ways in which black communities have survived and been transformed in the context of global subordination.

What Constitutes the Americas?What Constitutes the Americas?

The Americas constitutes a shared geographic space designating not only theneocolonial, political and economic empires of the United States and Canada, but also taking into account the Caribbean and Latin America.

Course GoalsCourse Goals

offer a critical introduction to the social, cultural, economic and political contexts of three geographic areas: the United States, Canada and the Caribbean;

help students learn and identify different theoretical frameworks and key concepts as they develop an understanding of the African Diaspora in the Americas;

help students recognize the engagement between a historical sense of self and a larger project of human possibilities.

Course EvaluationCourse Evaluation

Media Review Sep. 17 Essay 1 Nov. 05 15%Textual Analysis Jan. 07 15%Research Essay Mar. 11 20%Oral Report 15%Participation 10%Final Exam TBA 25%