Negativity in Black Critical Thought
ENGL 376
Spring 2025
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
AFAM 372 |
Lack, nothingness, negation, the void, the abyssal, absence, wretchedness these and other corollary terms are omnipresent grammars within Black critical thought's attempts to explicate the singularity of Blackness. Conversant with philosophical genealogies of pessimism, nihilism, and negativity, this course will examine various theorizations of the relationship between Blackness and the negative. Rather than framing negativity as essentially apolitical or unproductive, this course will consider what a fidelity to the negative portends for questions of Black politics, Black theorizing, and revolutionary action. In so doing we will pay particular attention to questions of affect, gender, sexuality, aesthetics, and psycho-politics. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA ENGL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (CSCT) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: 50% - 74% |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Possible Readings Include:
David Marriott, HAUNTED LIFE
Darieck Scott, EXTRAVAGANT ABJECTION
Zakiyyah Iman Jackson, BECOMING HUMAN
Edouard Glissant, POETICS OF RELATION
Selmawit Terrefe, ¿Speaking the Hieroglyph¿
Anthony Paul Farley, "Perfecting Slavery"
Jared Sexton, ¿Black Negativity; or, the Affirmation of Nothing¿
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Examinations and Assignments:
1 short essay, 1 research paper, weekly blog posts |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
This course fulfills the following English major requirements:
Theory |
| Instructor(s): Palmer,Tyrone S. Times: ..T.... 01:20PM-04:10PM; Location: PAC309; |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 12 | | SR major: 3 | JR major: 3 | | |
| Seats Available: 8 | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 2 | FR: X |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 2 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 1 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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