[ Wesleyan Home Page ] [ WesMaps Home Page ] [ WesMaps Archive ] [ Course Search ] [ Course Search by CID ]
Academic Year 2005/2006


Race and Sexuality in American History
AFAM 311 FA

Crosslistings:
HIST 343
WMST 311
AMST 318

This course explores the intersections between race and sexuality in American history, focusing on the historical nature of sexual relationships between members of dominant and subordinate groups, the ways in which power is manifested through sexualized discourse and behavior, and how and why some sexual acts, such as rape or homosexuality, have different meanings for different racial and ethnic groups. Major topics include sex and conquest, the sexual exploitation of slave women, the sexual politics of lynching, race and reproduction, race and homosexuality, and interracial relationships.

MAJOR READINGS

Nella Larsen, QUICKSAND
Melton McLaurin, CELIA, A SLAVE
Ramon Gutierrez, WHEN JESUS CAME AND THE CORN MOTHERS WENT AWAY
Kevin Mumford, INTERZONES
Siobhan Somerville, QUEERING THE COLOR LINE: RACE AND THE INVENTION OF HOMOSEXUALITY IN AMER. CULTURE
David Allyn, MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR: THE SEXUAL REVOLUTION, AN UNFETTERED HISTORY
Martha Hodes, ed., SEX, LOVE, RACE
Dorothy Roberts, KILLING THE BLACK BODY
Rickie Solinger, WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE: SINGLE PREGNANCY AND RACE BEFORE ROE V. WADE

EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS

Weekly reading responses, in-class presentation, five page paper, 10-15 page paper.

COURSE FORMAT: Seminar

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Level: UGRD    Credit: 1    Gen Ed Area Dept: SBS AFAM    Grading Mode: Graded   

Prerequisites: [AFAM203 or HIST241 or AMST237] OR [AFAM204 or HIST242 or AMST238] OR AFAM201 OR FGSS101 OR [AMST200 or LAST200] Links to Web Resources For This Course.

Last Updated on MAR-30-2006


Contact wesmaps@wesleyan.edu to submit comments or suggestions. Please include a url, course title, faculty name or other page reference in your email

Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459