FLL 593A/ENG596A/AMST650T

Thursday 3:30-6:20

SC 114

Prof. Antonio D. Tillis

Office Hours: Thursday 1:30-2:30, or by appointment

Office Phone:  494-9754

E-mail: tillis@purdue.edu

Afra-Latin American Writers and Feminist/Womanist/Africana Womanist Discourses

Description

This seminar examines the contributions to World literature by female writers of African ancestry in Latin America and the Caribbean.  The approach is multi-genre, as works will be read in order to examine critically the relationship(s) between literature, history, race, class and gender.  As theoretical paradigms, feminism, black feminism, womanism, Africana womanism and post-colonial feminism will be discussed and used for critical analysis of a given text.  Selected works represent a sampling of the corpus of works by Black female writers from the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and Spanish America, including the US.

1.       Course Objectives

1.1    To introduce students to selected literature by female writers of African descent in Spanish America

1.2    To assist students in developing critical approaches to literature through exploring critical discourses germane to literature by women writers

1.3    To examine the existing relationships between literature, history, society and other aspects of culture

1.4    To provide students with a background that will facilitate further study of Spanish American literature

2.      Methodology

This course will consist of lectures, presentations and discussions.  Students are expected to keep up with the reading assignments and to be prepared to participate in discussion.  The Socratic method will be employed where students will randomly be called upon to contribute to classroom discussion.  As this is a seminar, my role will be to disseminate new information and to facilitate verbal discourse between students.  This is not a lecture-based course.  Students will openly share and discuss reactions to readings, concepts, etc.

3.      Grades

Grades will be based on the following:

3.1    Presentations

3.2    Seminar paper (15-20 pages) Due April 1, 2005 NO EXCEPTIONS

3.3    Final examination

4.      Seminar Paper

Students are required to submit a final paper for the class (topics must be approved by professor in advance).  Seminars papers must center the literary work of one or more of the authors discussed in class.  Comparative papers are encouraged. The thematic focus should be germane to the academic interest of the student.  Papers are to be types at 12 points font, Times or New Times Roman.

5.      Attendance

Attendance and participation are crucial elements of this seminar.  Students are expected to attend regularly, prepared for the discussion of the day.  An excess of two (2) absences will be cause for lowering the final grade in the class.

6.      Texts

Castillo, Daisy Rubiera Reyita

Perez, Loida Martiza Geographies of Home

DeCosta-Willis, Miriam Daughters of the Diaspora

Hudson-Weems, Clenora Africana Womanism

Course Packet at CopyMat in Chauncey Hill

Academic Dishonesty

Students are expected to abide by the University Regulations regarding academic dishonesty as outlined in Sections.  Any student cheating or aiding in such acts will receive a failing grade in the course and will be reported for University for disciplinary action.  This includes plagiarism.

Students With Disabilities

If you have special needs that may affect your performance in this course, please arrange to speak privately with me to discuss the nature of your needs.

Week 1                        January 12

                        Course introduction and discussion of Critical Discourses

                        *Feminism(s)

                        *Womanism

                        *Black Feminism

                        *Feminism and Afro-Hispanism

 

Week 2                        January 19

                        In-class film

                        “Xica”

Week 3                        January 26

Discussion of film

Theory: hooks, “Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression”

             hooks, “Black Women: Shaping Feminist Thought”

             Hill Collins, “The Politics of Black Feminist Thought”

             Smith, Valerie, “Black Feminist Theory and of the ‘Other’”

             Showalter, “A Criticism of Our Own”

Week 4                        February 2

                        Theory: Medeiros-Lichem, Introduction

                                     Brooksbank, “Latin American Feminist Criticism Revisited”

                        Text: Reyita

Week 5                        February 9

                        Theory: Articles Distributed in Class

                        Text: Reyita

Week 6                        February 16

                        Theory: Hudson-Weems, Africana Womanism

                         Text: Africana Womanism

                                  Daughters, Preface, Introduction

                        Article: Richard Jackson

Week 7                        February 23

                        Theory: Busia, “Performance, Transcription and the Language”

                        Text: Daughters, Virginia Brindis De Salas

                                                   Aida Cartagena Portalatín

Week 8           March 2

                        Theory: Hill Collins, “Black Women and Motherhood”

                                     James, “Mothering”

                        Text: Daughters, Eulalia Bernard

                                                   Georgina Herrera

Week 9                        March 7

                        Theory: Hill Collins, “Mammies, Matriarchs, and Other”

                        Text: Daughters, Argentina Chiriboga

                                                   Nancy Morejón

                                                   Excilia Saldaña

Week 10          March 16

                        SPRING BREAK                    

Week 11          March 23

                        Theory: Sulari, “Woman Skin Deep”

                                     Katrak, “Decolonizing Culture”

 Presentations on works by Edelma Zapata Olivella and Yvonne-América   Truque

                       

Week 12          March 30

                        Theory: Mohanty, “Under Western Eyes”

                         Presentations on works by Cristina Cabral and Shirley Campbell

Week 13          April 6

                        Begin reading Geographies of Home

                        In-class Film

Week 14          April 13

                        Geographies of Home

Week 15          April 20

                        Geographies of Home

                        EXAM- Due: Sunday, April 24, 2005

Week 16          April 27

                       

                        Theory: hooks, “Men: Comrades in the Struggle”

                                     Culler, “Reading as Woman”

                                     Awkward, “A Black Man’s Place in Black Feminist Criticism”

                        Final Class Discussions

Professor reserves the right to alter syllabus as needed