WGSS 395
Black Reparations Within/Beyond Borders Fall 2022
Division II Difference, Power, and Equity
Cross-listed ENVI 395 / AFR 395 / GBST 395
This is not the current course catalog

Class Details

Generations of Black people around the world have demanded restitution for the harms and legacies of enslavement, indigenous genocide and colonialism in order to advance social justice, new ways of living and freedom. In this way, freedom fighters, Black Power leaders, abolitionist movements, Pan-Africanists, maroons, Rastafarians, Black politicians, climate justice leaders, and revolutionary anti-capitalists have all put forward ideas on and approaches to reparations and reparatory justice. This course will analyze ‘geographies of Black struggle’ , the differences and commonalities among these approaches, the political strategies and movements, including responses to global climate change and socio-environmental disasters that advance reparations as a just remedy within and beyond borders. We give particular attention to Pan-Africanist and Black feminist perspectives, as well as liberal and popular struggles for reparations within the African diaspora across space and time. Do Pan-Africanism and Black feminism offer new visions for reparations movements in the 21st century? Employing speeches, writings, audio-visual content and documentary film from and about these earlier and emerging movements and their leaders, we will draw long lines between historical circumstances and drivers, and examine Black (un)freedoms within the context of calls for reparation today.
The Class: Format: seminar
Limit: 15
Expected: 10
Class#: 1023
Grading: no pass/fail option, yes fifth course option
Requirements/Evaluation: Attendance and Participation including serving as a class discussion leader (20%); Written double-spaced essay about and the legacies and role that Pan-Africanism or Black Feminist perspectives play in contemporary global reparations movement (8 pages plus bibliography) (25%); Research and creatively present using written text, flyer, video, audio-visuals or poster a profile of Pan-African feminist leader focusing on her ideas, movement activities, and role in the reparations movement including innovative ideas (max. 5 pages or 10 minutes) (25%); Final project: simulation activity of a Pan-African Congress on Reparations (30%)
Prerequisites: None
Enrollment Preferences: If over-enrollment, preference to AFR, GBST and HIST students
Distributions: Division II Difference, Power, and Equity
Notes: This course is cross-listed and the prefixes carry the following divisional credit:
ENVI 395 Division II WGSS 395 Division II AFR 395 Division II GBST 395 Division II
DPE Notes: This course encourages students to think, articulate and engage with social difference, social movements and the gendered power relations that underpin struggles for reparations among people racialized as Black. It helps students appreciate and assess how power dynamics around reparations have shifted over space and time, and how these struggles intersect with actions toward and from the state, within and across Black communities and popular movements, and other powerful groups in society.
Attributes: AFR Core Electives
ENVI Humanities, Arts + Social Science Electives
GBST African Studies
WGSS Racial Sexual + Cultural Diversity Courses

Class Grid

Course Catalog Archive Search

TERM/YEAR
TEACHING MODE
SUBJECT
DIVISION



DISTRIBUTION



ENROLLMENT LIMIT
COURSE TYPE
Start Time
End Time
Day(s)