BLST 329 Black Queer Thought
Black queer thought are the knowledges, embodied and otherwise, that both enact critique of and imagine possibilities against the demands of heteronormativity, white supremacy, patriarchy and capitalism. In this course, we will engage with the multiple forms of text produced by those who may – or may uncomfortably – identify as Black and queer. By doing so, we will explore how the cultural producers in question complicate and elaborate upon the sometimes static and often U.S.-centered definitions we hold for “Black” and “queer,” challenging us to instead conceptualize these as dynamic and shifting positions rather than stable identity categories. Texts will be drawn from the works of James Baldwin, Ashon Crawley, Jackie Kay, Kara Keeling and others. This class thus situates students to join in on ongoing critical conversations within Black Studies, Queer of Color Critique, Performance Studies and American Studies. Assignments will include both informal and formal written components, and students will be asked to produce a final research paper. This class fulfills the second-stage writing requirement for the Black Studies major.
Cross Listed Courses
AMST 329