HMCS 294-02

AMST 294-02

Afro-Futurism/Media

Fall Semester 2009

MWF 9:40-10:40

401 Humanities

 

 

 

 

Prof. Leola A. Johnson

Rm. 301 Humanities

Thus. 1-4, M&W, 11-12

Other Times by Appointment

696-6025

leola.johnson@comcast.net

johnsonl1@macalester.edu

 

 

Purpose

 

This special topics seminar examines artifacts that are part of an African American cultural movement known as Afro futurism.  The movement incorporates science fiction, speculative fiction, fantasy and magic realism, using Western and non-Western cosmologies, into a body of literature, music and art that constructs, re-constructs and/or critiques the history, present and future of African American and African diasporic peoples.

 

 

Goals

 

  1. The course is designed to cultivate higher-level skills in reading, writing, research, editing, self-critical analytical thinking, group work and oral communication.  Students should be able to produce essays using MLA format citation requirements and accepted research strategies.  Essays should be built around strong theses and should use textual and other kinds of evidence for support.  Students should demonstrate an ability to make consistent, clear, and non-contradictory arguments and to draw strong and thoughtful conclusions.  Finally, students should be able to present their arguments in oral form, demonstrating an awareness of their audience.
  2. The course is designed to acquaint students with major artists, genres, forms and themes within the Afro-futurist movement, including writers, musicians, visual artists, filmmakers and literary theorists whose work draws on speculative work in critical race theory; stories that draw on African-American and African diasporic cosmologies and ideologies; robot, vampire, and post-human narratives; and stories that construct near future and distant future utopias and dystopias.
  3. The course is designed to enable creative work within an Afro-futurist framework.

 

 

Grades

 

  1. Three 3-5 page papers, 15 points each (35 points)
  2. One 15 to 20 in-depth examination of an artist, genre, form or theme within the Afro-futurist movement.
  3. A presentation based on your paper (can also be something you make), with visuals  (15 points)

Papers should be submitted electronically by 4:30 on the date due.  Please use Microsoft Word.

 

 

In addition to the papers and presentations, I take attendance and occasionally ask for response papers based on class discussions and screenings, and I use this material to decide on the direction of marginal grades.  This participation grade is worth 10 points.

 

 

Texts

 

  1. Nalo Hopkinson (editor) ,Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African Diaspora, Warner Books: 2000

 

 

  1. Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, Scribner, 1996,

 

 

  1. Octavia Butler, Kindred, Beacon Press, 2004

 

 

  1. John Swzed,  Space is the Place:  The Life and Times of Sun Ra, Da Capo Press, 1998

 

 

OTHER READINGS AS ASSIGNED

 

 

CLASS SCHEDULE

 

 

September 11:  The Space Traders, Cosmic Slop, Warrington and Reginald Hudlin, HBO (1994) screening in class

 

September 14:  Derrick Bell, The Space Traders, Dark Matter, 326-355

 

September 16:  Samuel Delaney, Racism and Science Fiction, Dark Matter, 383-397, Octavia Butler, The Monophobic Response, Dark Matter, 415-416,

 

September 18:  Paper 1:  Tropes of Blackness in The Space Traders, Mark Dery, Black to the Future, Flame Wars, http://www.markdery.com/archives/books/flame_wars_excerpts/

 

 

September 21:  Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, 13-75

 

September 23: Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, 76-144

 

September 25: Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, 146-195

 

September 28: Ishmael Reed, Mumbo Jumbo, 195-218

 

September 30:  Paper 2: Cosmology, Race and History in Mumbo Jumbo, John Akromfrah, The Last Angel of History,

 

October 2:  W.E.B. DuBois, The Comet, Dark Matter, 5-19; Jewell Gomez, Chicago, 1927, Dark Matter, 19-34

 

October 5:  George S. Schuyler, Black No More, Dark Matter, 35-50, Evie Shockley, Separation Anxiety, Dark Matter, 68

 

October 7:  Tananarive Due, Like Daughter, Dark Matter, 91-102; Nalo Hopkinson, Greedy Choke Puppy, Dark Matter, 102-112

 

October 9:  Samuel R. Delaney, Aye , and Gomorrah, Dark Matter, Nalo Hopkinson, Ganger (Ball Lightning), 134-15, Akua Lezli Hope, The Becoming, Dark Matter, 152-157

 

October 12:  Charles W. Chesnutt, The Goophered Grapevine, Dark Matter, 158-170, Henry Dumas, ÒArk of Bones, Dark Matter, 260-274

 

October 14:  Kasi Lemons, EveÕs Bayou

 

October 16: Kasi Lemons, EveÕs Bayou

 

October 19:  Paper 3:  Vampires and Conjure Women:  Folk or Futurist? Octavia Butler, The Evening and the Morning and the Night, Dark Matter, 171-196,

 

October 21:  Octavia Butler, Kindred, 9-108

 

October 23: Octavia Butler, Kindred, 9-108

 

October 26:  Haile Gerima, Sankofa

 

October 28:  Haile Gerima, Sankofa 

 

 

October 29 - Nov. 1   Thursday - Sunday Fall Break

 

November 2:  Sun Ra, Space is the Place

 

November 4: Sun Ra, Space is the Place

 

November 6: John Swzed, Space is the Place: The Life and Times of Sun Ra, 1-75

 

November 9: John Swzed, Space is the Place: The Life and Times of Sun Ra, 76-150

 

November 11: John Swzed, Space is the Place: The Life and Times of Sun Ra, 151-225

 

November 13: John Swzed, Space is the Place: The Life and Times of Sun Ra, 226-300

 

November 16: John Swzed, Space is the Place: The Life and Times of Sun Ra, 301-389

 

November 18: Kodwo Eshun, Operating Systems for the Re-design of Sonic Reality, More Brilliant than the Sun:  AdventuresInSonic Fiction, 1-24

 

November 20:  Kodwo Eshun, Sampladelia of the Breakbeat, More Brilliant than the Sun:  AdventuresInSonic Fiction, 25-61

 

November 23: Kodwo Eshun, InnerSpatializing the Song, Virtualizing the Breakbeat, Programming Rhythamatic Frequencies, More Brilliant than the Sun:  AdventuresInSonic Fiction, 62-92

 

November 25: Kodwo Eshun, Synthetic Fiction, Electronic Thought, More Brilliant than the Sun:  AdventuresInSonic Fiction, 93-138

 

 

            November 26 - 29            Thursday - Sunday           Thanksgiving Break

 

 

November 30: Kodwo Eshun, Mixadelic Universe, More Brilliant than the Sun:  AdventuresInSonic Fiction, 139-174

 

December 2: Kodwo Eshun, Motion Capture (Interview), More Brilliant than the Sun:  AdventuresInSonic Fiction, 175-194

 

December 4:  Michelle Lee-White, Keith Piper, Alondra Nelson, ÒAfro-Tech and Outer Spaces,Ó in Art Journal, Vol. 6, No. 3, Autumn, 2001, 91-104, in Jstor

 

December 7:  Kiini Ibura Salaam, At LifeÕs Limits, Dark Matter, 290-318

 

December 9:  Presentations

 

December 11: Presentations

 

December 14:  Presentations LAST DAY OF CLASS

 

December 21: Presentations (If Necessary) Final Exam Period (8 to 10)

 

 

 

 

GROUNDRULES FOR CLASS DISCUSSIONS

 

 

1.  The best contribution that one can make to a class discussion is a to share a concrete, specific interpretation of a piece of text or a personal observation relevant to the issue being discussed.  It is important to ground your discussion in the common reading for the session.  But it is also important to feel free to share your life experiences. 

 

2. Politely and privately share with the teacher or the discussion leader your concerns about students who dominate the conversation.  Never directly confront such a student in front of others.  These actions will provide the atmosphere where all opinions are equally heard. 

 

3. Everyone is encouraged to continue the conversation outside of class. But personal stories should remain the property of the individual and the class, and should not be brought up and discussed outside of class.

 

4. Respect all opinions that are conveyed, even if one strongly disagrees with what is being said. This means taking an active listening role. A person with a differing opinion from what is being said should first listen to what is being said and then politely and respectfully raise a question or make a comment addressing the difference of opinion.

 

5. All members of the class should be respectful at all times of all discussion members. Do not make fun of any opinion relayed in class.  Do not make fun of any person.  Do not respond to others with Òzaps,Ó i.e., put-downs.  Disrespect damages the whole class by creating an unhealthy environment that is not conducive to discussion.

 

 

 

 

Academic Calendar 2009-2010

 

FALL 2009

           

            September 18      Friday   Last Day to Register or Validate

            September 18      Friday   Last Day to Add/Drop a Class

            October 2           Friday   Last Day to Designate a Grading Option

            October 28         Wednesday         Mid-Term Grades Due

            October 29 - Nov. 1         Thursday - Sunday           Fall Break

            November 6        Friday   Last Day to Withdraw From a Class

            November 16 - Dec 4       Monday - Friday             Spring 2010 Registration

            November 26 - 29            Thursday - Sunday           Thanksgiving Break

            December 11       Friday   January Independent/Internship Registration Due

            December 15       Tuesday             Classes End

            December 16       Wednesday         Study Day

            December 17 - 21            Thursday - Monday          Final Examination Period

            December 30       Wednesday         Final Grades Due