Contemporary African American Literature and the End(s) of Identity

Investigates the controversies surrounding the claim that the late 20th century marks the end of nationalist and essentialist paradigms in the scripting of black identity. Readings from a range of literary and theoretical works dealing with this intricate problem, including Stuart Hall, Hortense Spillers, Reginald McKnight, Trey Ellis, Octavia Butler, and Paul Beatty. Enrollment limited to 15.