ENGL291 - Law, Race & Literature: An Introduction to Critical Race Theory

[ Wesleyan Home Page ] [ WesMaps Home Page ] [ WesMaps Archive ] [ Course Search ] [ Course Search by CID ]
Academic Year 2004/2005

Law, Race & Literature: An Introduction to Critical Race Theory
ENGL 291 SP

Crosslistings:
AMST 291
AFAM 291

Law and Literature both inhabit the realm of interpretation, rhetoric, form, ethics and epistemology; they mediate our relationship to society and shape how we imagine the world and ourselves. This course introduces Critical Race Theory, an emerging movement in critical legal studies led by African American, Latino and Asian American legal scholars. How does the law inform how we talk about and imagine race? Informed by literary studies, postmodernism, feminism, and continental political philosophy, this eclectic group of scholars and practitioners continues the civil rights tradition by challenging set liberal premises and racial orthodoxies to open up new ways of thinking about race and racism. In the first two-thirds of the semester, through careful close reading and writing exercises, the class will begin to explore a critique of liberalism, the legal construction of whiteness, how racism pervades civil institutions and the complex, oftentimes incommensurate, intersections, of race, gender, class and sexuality. In the last third, the class will apply these critical skills in analysis of three short dramatic and literary works and the issues they raise about race, desire and the law.

MAJOR READINGS

CRITICAL RACE THEORY: THE CUTTING EDGE (2nd Edition, 2000, Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic)
Hwang, M BUTTERFLY
Melville, BENITO CERENO
Gilman, HERLAND
Supplementary Reader may include works by Cornell West, Paul Gilroy, Patricia Williams

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

One 4-page paper, one 5-page midterm, inquiry papers during the semester and final exam. Groups of students will present in class throughout the semester.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS

Prerequisites: At least one class in American history and/or literature or Philosophy is strongly suggested.

This course meets the English department theory requirement

COURSE FORMAT: Lecture/Discussion

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD Credit: 1 Gen Ed Area Dept: HA ENGL Grading Mode: Student Option

Prerequisites: NONE

SECTION 01

Instructor(s): Isaac,Allan Punzalan

Times: ..T.R.. 01:10PM-02:30PM; Location: FISK413;

Reserved Seats: (Total Limit: 35)

SR. major: 10 Jr. major: 10

SR. non-major: 5 Jr. non-major: 5 SO: 5 FR: X

Special Attributes:

Curricular Renewal: Ethical Reasoning

Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-21-2005