ALST 341 - Corridors of Black Girlhood

An introduction to the emergent field of Black Girlhood Studies. An interdisciplinary journey, it engages theories, methods, and analytical approaches that recognize the power and potential of Black girlhood. Through interpretive and pragmatic inquiry of Black girls’ lives, students will develop and enact an intersectional approach to interrogate the ways power, systems of oppression, and culture mediate girlhood. To expose discrepancies in popularized narratives of Black girls and women in the United States, the course is organized around the tenet of celebration and other foundational concepts and scholars within the field. Drawing on theories and concepts derived from Black feminist thought, budding scholars will approach Black girlhood as a political category of identity and symbol of agency. Working within and beyond hip-hop feminist and womanist frameworks, learning will involve critical thinking and embodiment of theories and practices as produced by Black girls, artists, and scholars. With attention to knowledge and creativity engendered amidst legacies of anti-Black racism and racialized femininity, Corridors of Black Girlhood reveals the contributions of Black girls, girlhood, and Black feminist thought to the expansion of theory, praxis, and power analyses.

Credits: 1.0
Crosslisted:

WGSS 341

Corequisite: None
Prerequisites: None
Major/Minor Restrictions: None
Class Restriction: None
Area of Inquiry: Social Relations,Inst.& Agents
Liberal Arts Practices: Artistic Practice and Interpretation and The Process of Writing
Core Component: None

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