Identify foundational concepts, theories, and approaches to race, class and gender in contemporary social justice movements such as Black Womanist and Black Feminist Thought (CLO 1).
Explain how beliefs, assumptions and values shape and are shaped by gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, and other intersecting categories of identity (CLO 2).
Demonstrate the ability to conduct intersectional analysis and research through Black feminist and womanist critical lenses (CLO 3).
Apply the conceptual frameworks of Black womanist and feminist theorists in oral and written presentations and projects (CLO 4).
Demonstrate the capacity to combine or synthesize existing ideas, images, or expertise in original ways (CLO 5).
Develop and express ideas in writing and learning in many genres and styles using different writing technologies, mixing texts, data, and images that relate to the dynamics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social change (CLO 6).
Demonstrate the ability to know a need for information or visual literacy and understand historical and contemporary inequality dynamics and how they shape individual and community power, biases, structural arrangements, and social justice bias (CLO 7).
Course Description This course critically surveys Black women’s history and experiences across the African Diaspora. Particular attention is given to Black women’s experiences in North America. Some of the topics covered include: Black women and the building of nation-states; Black women in the U.S. slave system; Black women in race and gender movements in the U.S. and Latin America; systemic and institutionalized violence against Black women; Black motherhood; Black Latinas and the politics of identity; representations of Black women in popular culture; radical activism and Black lesbian identity, as well as the emergence and growth of Black feminist theory and selected other topics. Finally, students will engage in an autobiographical video project. Credits: 3