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Academic Year 2005/2006
Diasporas, Transnationalism and Globalization
ENGL 294 SP
Until the late 1960s, there were three classical diasporas: Jewish, Armenian and Greek. The first was considered the paradigmatic case. In the past three decades, many dispersed peoples and communities, once known as
minorities,
ethnicities, migrants, exiles, etc. have been renamed 'diasporas' by some of their own artists, or intellectual and political leaders, or by scholars. This phenomenon must be understood in the context of ever-increasing
transnationalism and globalization. This course will introduce students to the past and present of the concepts 'diaspora', 'transnationalism' and, to a lesser extent, 'globalization.'
MAJOR READINGS
There will be a course reader in which articles will be drawn from the disciplines of literature, cultural studies, American Studies, sociology, history, political science and ethnomusicology. Two novels will also be
assigned.
EXAMINATIONS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Several short papers and one longer research paper.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS and/or COMMENTS
The three phenomena in question cannot be properly understood through one perspective or "lens". Any such lens, if used alone--for example, an interest in one's "ethnic" identity only, or an interest in transnational
cultural flows only, will distort
and impoverish. At a minimum, binocular vision is necessary, and those students who are receptive to several disciplinary approaches and who already have some experience of one at the undergraduate level will profit
most. However, the course requires no
prior knowledge of its three main topics: diaspora, transnationalism, globalization.
COURSE FORMAT:
Lecture/Discussion
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Level:
UGRD
Credit:
1
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL
Grading Mode:
Graded
Prerequisites:
NONE
Links to Web Resources For This Course.
Last Updated on MAR-30-2006
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Copyright Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, 06459