AmSt 570/Anth 617

The Global South: Postcoloniality, The Black

Atlantic, and Transnational Cultures
Spring 2014
Wed 10 a.m.-12:50 p.m.
College Apartments 9
Instructor: Dr. Ali Colleen Neff
E-Mail: alineff@wm.edu
Office: 2nd floor College Apartments
Office Hours: T Th 12:30-2., W by appointment
Overview
This graduate seminar weaves a host of historical engagements with
global colonialism--from Garveyism, liberation theology, indigenous rights
movements, and the hip-hop nation--that articulate the work of thinkers,
artists and leaders from the self-described Third World. Together, these
make up the notion of a Global South: a counterpoint to European
modernity and American neoliberalism by which alternative cultures,
aesthetics, and knowledges survive and thrive. We will read Paul Gilroys
work on the notion of a Black Atlantic as we theorize the notions of
nation, solidarity, postcoloniality, decolonization, and development and
interrogate the complex mobilities instantiated in new media.
Goals
In this course, we work to assemble a series of resonant concepts of the
Global South as it emerges from and illuminates our individual areas of
inquiry.
1.We will better understand the role of media technologies in cultural formation, and
how they shape and are shaped by the groups who engage them
2.We will learn to design projects, and to communicate complex, critical ideas clearly and
with a measure of personal and intellectual style.
We will gauge our progress toward these goals by checking in with
course keywords (listed for each week by Tuesday at 5 p.m.), prcis and
presentations for each reading, and our final research project.
Requirements
You will be graded mainly on participation, a series of prcis based on
the readings, and a final research project intended as an early draft of a
journal article, and/or an MA paper (see me if either of these do not
pertain to your current program goals).
1. Complete and critically engage all required reading and media
2.Complete all assignments on time and with intellectual and academic integrity
3.Participate fully in the classroom community by sharing your engagement
4.Communicate your needs and issues with your classmates and me.
5.Turn off all internet and social media when in the classroom (very important)
6. Expand your intellectual repertoire
Materials
Course materials for this multimedia course can
be found by class date in this syllabus.
1 Most materials are available as articles
through our Blackboard site
2 I recommend printing these materials and
mark them up, and to engage them
specifically in class discussion.
Milestones
Postcoloniality
Gain a basic understanding of how postcolonial
theory inflects/might inflect new movements in
American Studies
Black Atlantic
Understand how Gilroys notion of a Black
Atlantic revolutionizes the notions of modern
place, nation, and otherness
Transnational Cultures
Engage the unevenness and polyvalence of
historical and ongoing processes of migration,
mobility, diaspora and globalizatoin
Attendance, Participation, Delays
1. Please let us all know if you will need to miss
a meeting and, if possible, submit prcis for
your classmates consideration
2. While all students prefer different modes of
engagement, participation in classroom
discussion is a must; please schedule with
me if you have any problems engageing
class discussion; Im very happy to help
3. Late work will, unless excused by a
documented medical emergency, be docked
a full letter grade per day
4. As a rule, communicate responsibly and
mindfully about any issues ahead of time
Cvervlew of course requlremenLs:
Graded Item Number of points (of 100 total) Graded Item Number of points (of 100 total)
Class participation (attendance, discussion). 25
Readings, prcis, introductions: Students take turns introducing particular readings and sharing
five 2-page prcis (structured abstracts/notes). You will sign up for five readings during our
second seminar meeting, and will be responsible for submitting your prcis to the appropriate
google drive folder at least 24 hours before classtime and introducing your take on the reading in
the following days seminar. Rolling deadline.
15
Two-page, double-spaced abstract for final paper, printed submissions/FAQ page from a journal
appropriate to your article topic and methodology, and two stylistically-inspiring article-length
pieces that you will refer to as you write your article.
10
One 1,000-1,500 word blog entry/web essay with appropriate embedded media (if useful)
representing your research project for a general/public audience. Due with your final paper
Monday, May 5th (send me a link).
10
In-class presentation of your final research paper, including visuals/multimedia wed 4/30--this will
be a 20-minute professional conference-style presentation with 10 minutes for questions. This will
be a marathon seminar session to make up for our missed classes, so please be prepared to be in
class until 2 p.m. or so.
15
Journal article involving a case study involving your working conceptualization of the Global South.
7000-8000 words + illustrations, notes, and bib. Due Monday, May 5th In hard copy to my
physical mailbox in College Apartments. If youd like me to read a draft, please get it to me in hard
copy by Tuesday 4/21. Be sure to meet with me to discuss your research paper topic before
spring break.
25
Course Schedule: Clobal SouLh Course Schedule: Clobal SouLh
Wednesday MaLerlals
1/16 WhaL do we mean by Lhe Clobal SouLh? Pow do posLcolonlal sLudles map onLo/
problemauze/lnLersecL/reorlenL Amerlcan SLudles? Pow do eLhnography and
lnLerdlsclpllnarlLy emerge ln new dlrecuons ln Amerlcan SLudles?
lnLroduclng Lhe syllabus, asslgnmenLs, eLc.
kL?WC8uS: 1he Clobal SouLh kL?WC8uS: 1he Clobal SouLh
1/22,
1/29
CLASS CAnCLLLLu-SnCW
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
Course Schedule: Clobal SouLh Course Schedule: Clobal SouLh
2/3 Lngaglng Lhe Clobal SouLh: 1hree 1akes.
8ead all of Lhls for Loday:
1. Ashcro, ed. selecuons from 1he osL-Colonlal SLudles 8eader (LxcerpL on 88oard)
2. !ames eacock, 1he Clobal SouLh (LxcerpL on 88oard). lease also browse eacock's
pro[ecL webslLe: hup://souLhwrlLlarge.com
3. ne, 1he new MasLers of Lloquence: SouLhernness, Senegal, and 1ransaLlanuc Plp-Pop
Moblllues." SouLhern CulLures !ournal, 18:4 WlnLer 2012. (on 8board
4. ChapLers 1-4 aul Cllroy/1he 8lack ALlanuc--emphasls on 1 and 2 (Lnure ul on
8lackboard)
kL?WC8uS: posLcolonlallLy, modernlLy, norLh ALlanuc (caplLallsL) modernlLy, Lhe 8lack ALlanuc,
moblllLy, lnLerdlsclpllnarlLy, souLhernness, Lhe Clobal SouLh, Lransnauonallsm, dlaspora, globallzauon
kL?WC8uS: posLcolonlallLy, modernlLy, norLh ALlanuc (caplLallsL) modernlLy, Lhe 8lack ALlanuc,
moblllLy, lnLerdlsclpllnarlLy, souLhernness, Lhe Clobal SouLh, Lransnauonallsm, dlaspora, globallzauon
2/12 ModernlLy and lLs oLhers, SubalLern SLudles and 1heory lrom Lhe SouLh
!"#$ #&& '( )*"+" (', )'$#-.
1. SLuarL Pall, ed. selecuons from ModernlLy (LxcerpL on 88oard)
wesL and Lhe resL--!an
mcgrew, global socleLy: [aneL
2. ulpesh ChakrabarLy, from rovlnclallzlng Lurope avallable onllne: hup://
press.prlnceLon.edu/chapLers/l8307.pdf...[ames
3. CayaLrl Splvak, Can Lhe SubalLern Speak?" (ul on 88oard....[klk[
4. 8evlslL ChapLers 1-4 aul Cllroy/1he 8lack ALlanuc--emphasls on 1 and 2 (Lnure ul on
8lackboard)1. 2. llnda, ho[oe , [onas...
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
2/19 1he 8lack ALlanuc as a model for Clobal SouLhernness
!"#$ #&& '( )*"+" (', )'$#-.
1 uu8ols, selecLed essays
2 Marcus Carvey, /"0&#,#1'2 '( !34*)+ '( )*" 5"4,' 6"'7&"+ '( )*" 8',&$9 :;#3&#<&" *",".
hup://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/garvey/lmmore/ps_rlghLs.hLml
3 lanon, from 1he WreLched of Lhe LarLh (LxcerpL on 88oard)
1. ChapLers 3-6, aul Cllroy/1he 8lack ALlanuc, ChapLers (Lnure ul on 8lackboard)
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
2/26 1he clrculaung femlnlne
!"#$ #&& '( )*"+" (', )'$#-.
1. 1rlnh Mlnh Pa, from Woman nauve CLher (LxcerpL on 88oard)
2. Zora neale PursLon, from 1ell My Porse: voodoo and Llfe ln Palu and !amalca (LxcerpL on
88oard)
3. vazquez, Alexandra 1. "Can ?ou leel Lhe 8eaL?: lreesLyle's SysLems of Llvlng, Lovlng, and
8ecordlng." !"#$%& ()*+ 28, no. 1_102 (Sprlng2010 2010): 107-124. (Arucle on 88oard)
4. SLuarL Pall, ed. selecuons from ModernlLy (LxcerpL on 88oard)
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
Sprlng 8reak 3/1-3/9 Sprlng 8reak 3/1-3/9
Course Schedule: Clobal SouLh Course Schedule: Clobal SouLh
3/12 AesLheucs, erformance and osLcolonlallLy
1. Achllle Mbembe, from 8eauuful/ugly (LxcerpL on 88oard)
2. !ayna 8rown, 8umble and 8uzz" (Arucle on 88oard)
3. 1avla n'yongo, from 1he Amalgamauon WalLz (LxcerpL on 88oard)
4. kara keellng, !osh kun lnLroducuon: LlsLenlng Lo Amerlcan SLudles." Amerlcan CuarLerly,
volume 63, number 3, SepLember 2011, pp. 443-439 (ul on 88oard)
Legacles of Mlgrauon and ulaspora
!"#$ #&& '( )*"+" (', )'$#-.
1.
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
3/19 No class
CLASS CAnCLLLLu-8esearch Week CLASS CAnCLLLLu-8esearch Week
3/26 MaLerlal CulLure, loodways, Symbollc racuces
1. rashad, no SweaL" (ShorL)(LxcerpL on 88oard)
2. Marshall Sahllns, Coodbye Lo 1rlsLes 1ropes (LxcerpL on 88oard)
3. 8oberL larrls 1hompson, llash of Lhe SplrlL (LxcerpL on 88oard)
4. MlnLz, SweeLness and ower--lnLroducuon and arL 1 (LxcerpL on 88oard)
5. Splvak: 1he Maklng of Amerlcans
6. Marcle Cohen lerrls lnLervlew Cnllne(Sklm): hup://www.guernlcamag.com/lnLervlews/
salL-of-Lhe-earLh/
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
4/2 Cueerlng SouLhernness/8odles of ulerence
1.L. aLrlck !ohnson, SweeL 1ea: 8lack Cay Men of Lhe SouLh, an Cral PlsLory
2.!ose Munoz, uLopla's Seaung CharL: Cueer lnLermedla as SysLem
3.1.8.A.
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
4/9 8eadlngs 1.8.A.
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
4/16 Make up 8eadlngs
kL?WC8uS: kL?WC8uS:
4/23 Make up 8eadlngs
kL?WC8uS: 18A kL?WC8uS: 18A
llnal aper /,#= (Cpuonal) uue 1uesday 4/21 (AsslgnmenL 3) llnal aper /,#= (Cpuonal) uue 1uesday 4/21 (AsslgnmenL 3)
8evlew 8evlew
4/30 8evlslL course keywords, concepLs, readlngs.
llnal aper uue: Monday, May 3Lh llnal aper uue: Monday, May 3Lh