Afrofuturism and Speculative Design

4.0 credits

What futures have Black artists, writers, musicians, and designers imagined — and how can we build our own? This seminar/studio explores Afrofuturism across literature, music, film, visual art, games, and digital culture, from W.E.B. Du Bois and Sun Ra to Janelle Monáe, N.K. Jemisin, and Black digital creators. Students learn speculative design as a hands-on method: worldbuilding, prototyping, and critiquing artifacts from imagined futures. Emphasis is on making over writing — students produce zines, sound pieces, games, films, and designed objects, culminating in an original creative artifact presented in a public end-of-semester gallery. No prior experience required.