This course explores critical Black feminist thought with an emphasis on radical, intersectional, and global perspectives. We will analyze a breadth of work produced by and about Black women who too often lose their rightful place as leaders of social struggle. Through an intersectional approach, we will examine how Black women’s assertions of humanity, community, family, and liberation not only criticized capitalism but also challenged it.
What frameworks of analysis do we gain from these women? How can we use these frameworks to make sense of our contemporary moment? What limitations do we still face? We will examine historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Ella Baker, and Mamie Till alongside contemporary thinkers like Angela Davis, Luisah Teish, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. Our course will also explore the global dimensions of Black feminist thought, engaging with voices from the Caribbean, Africa, and the diaspora.
A key component of this course will be the collaborative construction of a community altar, conceptualized as an artistic and spiritual exploration of liberation. Students will work in stages to reflect on the guiding question: What does our community want to be free from?
Through weekly readings, creative projects, and seminar discussions, we will analyze the dialectical entanglements of race, gender, and capitalism and question whether a radical Black left feminist tradition exists today. The course will include creative responses, reflective writings, and research-based projects leading to the altar's physical manifestation and final presentations.
What frameworks of analysis do we gain from these women? How can we use these frameworks to make sense of our contemporary moment? What limitations do we still face? We will examine historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Ella Baker, and Mamie Till alongside contemporary thinkers like Angela Davis, Luisah Teish, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. Our course will also explore the global dimensions of Black feminist thought, engaging with voices from the Caribbean, Africa, and the diaspora.
A key component of this course will be the collaborative construction of a community altar, conceptualized as an artistic and spiritual exploration of liberation. Students will work in stages to reflect on the guiding question: What does our community want to be free from?
Through weekly readings, creative projects, and seminar discussions, we will analyze the dialectical entanglements of race, gender, and capitalism and question whether a radical Black left feminist tradition exists today. The course will include creative responses, reflective writings, and research-based projects leading to the altar's physical manifestation and final presentations.
- Instructor: Shylah Hamilton