Death and the Black Imagination (ANTHRO 157X, ENGLISH 157A)

5 credits · Undergraduate

This course explores the idea of doubt as it relates to healing, dying, and recovery. We will look at philosophical, religious and literary texts, mainly across the Black expressive tradition, to see how doubt and faith transform our experiences of dying and living. The course looks at the ways faith and doubt transform our experiences of our bodies and minds. We will also look at how doubt can be a source of community. For those in medical contexts, how does faith and doubt serve a healing purpose? What portrayals of afterlives are available as a resource for thinking about the here and now?