LAS 370S • African Diaspora in the Americas (Brazil and The Caribbean)
12:30 PM-2:00 PM
Millions of Africans from different cultural, religious and philosophical backgrounds-Nago, Bantu, Ashanti, Malé, Fula, Arara, Calabar, Yoruba survived the violence and terror of the Atlantic Middle Passage and came to the Américas. This course analyzes the socio-cultural contexts of the African Diaspora in the Américas with a specific focus on Brazil, and the islands of the Caribbean (Cuba, Puerto Rico, Haiti and Dominican Republic). Brazil, the country that has more afro-descendants in the Américas shares with these islands of the Caribbean a strong tradition of cultural, social and political struggles for blacks. One of the main goals of these course is to analyze the cultural, social and philosophical contributions of these diasporic populations, and the ways they build social and cultural agency in their specific national contexts. The course starts with the Haitian Revolution as a historic junctural point of departure which influenced black struggles in the Américas. Later, it will focus on specific national-cultural contexts moving from national white Cre?le imaginings of black and mulatto cultures, to contemporary depictions of Afro Diasporic and Afro-Latin@ identities in the United States. Themes such as identity politics (race, gender, sexuality), socio-political agency, resitance and negotiation will be analyzed. Cultural texts such as ethnographies, narratives, biographies, testimonio, will be discussed along with documentaries, film and contemporary music. Class will be taught in Spanish. All essays in Spanish. Requisites: Four essays of 6-7 pages each. Essay themes will be given by Prof. Arroyo (from two essay questions students choose one). Oral participation and presence in class is required. Late essays will loose 10 points of final grade. Please inform long absences.