ENGL 693R (01) - Special Topics in Literature

Special Topics in Lit

Durham Liberal Arts :: English

Credits: 4.0
Term: Fall 2024 - Full Term (08/26/2024 - 12/09/2024)
Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Class Size: 30
CRN: 16421

A) Old English Literature, B) Medieval Literature, C) 16th Century, D) 17th Century, E) 18th Century, F) English Romantic Period, G) Victorian Period, H) 20th Century, I) Drama, J) Novel, K) Poetry, L) Nonfiction, M) American Literature, N) A Literary Problem, O) Literature of the Renaissance, R) Race and Racial Theories. The precise topics and methods of each section vary. Barring duplication of subject, course may be repeated for credit. For details, see course descriptions available in the English department. (Not offered every year). Special fee on some topics.

Section Comments: Special Topic: On Race

Registration Approval Required. Contact Instructor or Academic Department for permission then register through Webcat.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits.

Equivalent(s): ENGL 693

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Instructors: Petar Ramadanovic

Times & Locations

Start Date	End Date	Days	Time	Location
8/26/2024	12/9/2024	MW	11:10am - 12:30pm	HS 104

Additional Course Details:

Fall 2024 Course Details: On Race

Come laugh at racism with us! “And there’s something funny—there’s always something a little funny in all our disasters, if one can face the disaster,” said James Baldwin in his “The Uses of the Blues.” This semester, we will apply several different critical approaches to explore and understand what race is. Of our special concern will be the claim that race is a culturally (not biologically) constructed category. The reading list will include literary texts (Toni Morrison’s “Recitatif”), works of African American comedians (Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, etc.), philosophical texts (W. E. B. Du Bois, K. A. Appiah, etc.) as well as some legal documents (recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning affirmative action) and Henry Louis Gates’s recent, Stony the Road.

The general goal of the course is to improve the student’s ability to speak and think critically about race and race relations in the U.S.

This course satisifes the 'Race, Gender & Postcolonial Studies' requirement for English Majors.

This course satisfies the Race & Racial Theories requirement for English Literature, English: TBD, English/Law 3+3, English Teaching Majors.