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74319-01 - Seminar: African-American Women Writers: From the Harlem Renaissance to Today (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Tamara Dima Imboden (tamaradima.imboden@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | When asked about her role as a representative of Black women in the USA, Toni Morrison responded that “[she] can accept the labels […] because being a black woman writer is not a shallow place but a rich place to write from. It doesn’t limit my imagination; it expands it” (“Toni Morrison and the Ghosts in the House,” The New Yorker, 2003). Indeed, the abundance of literature by African-American women writers – both relating to and unrelated to topics of race and gender – are testament to this wealth. This can be seen not only in the great fiction of writers like Zora Neale Hurston and Octavia Butler, but also in the important theoretical writings of, among many others, Audre Lorde and bell hooks. In this BA Seminar, we will dive into the fictional and theoretical writings of 6–8 African-American women authors of the last century. Students will read the novels "Their Eyes Were Watching God" (1937) by Zora Neale Hurston, "The Gilda Stories" (1991) by Jewelle Gomez, and "The Fifth Season" (2015) by NK Jemisin. In addition, we will also read texts by Butler, Morrison and hooks, among others. While the course touches upon race and sex/gender, other important themes will be raised as called for by the texts, such as home, space, or climate catastrophe. By the end of this course, students will have read at least one text from (roughly) each decade since the 1920s. |
| Learning objectives | - Students will gain insight into a variety of writings by African-American women from the last 100 years, coming into contact with different genres and styles. - Students will have touched upon a range of theoretical insights relating to these texts, including but not restricted to home, belonging, identity, sexuality, climate, and nationhood. |
| Bibliography | Students should purchase and read the following novels before the beginning of term: - Zora Neale Hurston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God” - Jewelle Gomez’s “The Gilda Stories” - NK Jemisin’s “The Fifth Season” All other required will be made available on ADAM. |
| Weblink | ADAM |
| Admission requirements | This seminar is for BA students who have completed all introductory courses including the proseminar paper. |
| Course application | To register, please send an email to the instructor at tamaradima.imboden@unibas.ch in addition to registering on services.unibas.ch. Places are limited and will be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | Online, mandatory |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 20.02.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 27.02.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 06.03.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 13.03.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Fasnachstferien |
| Thursday 20.03.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 27.03.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 03.04.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 10.04.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 17.04.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 24.04.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 01.05.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Tag der Arbeit |
| Thursday 08.05.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 15.05.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 22.05.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Nadelberg 6, Grosser Hörsaal |
| Thursday 29.05.2025 | 14.15-16.00 | Auffahrt |
| Modules |
Modul: Advanced Anglophone Literary and Cultural Studies (Bachelor's degree subject: English) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular attendance, active participation, written task |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Englische Sprach- und Literaturwissenschaft |