Satire's purpose is to critique the status quo through parody, humor, and caricature, and some of the sharpest American satiric commentary is to be found in African American literature. In this course we will examine African American satire, primarily in novels read against the backdrop of their cultural moments. Film, art, movie clips, and comedy will be used to provide expanded context.

African American poetry from the colonial period to the present, including slave and folk songs of the mid-nineteenth century, the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920's and contemporary poetry.  Emphasis on such figures as Langston Hughes, Margaret Walker, Gwendolyn Brooks, Sonia Sanchez, Amiri Baraka, Yusef Komunyakaa, Rita Dove, Kevin Young, and others.

The causes and consequences of race and ethnic discrimination in America, with a focus on ethnic competition and conflict.

An exploration of the comparative dimensions of Black and Irish experiences in the Atlantic world through the study of cultural production from the United States, Africa, Britain, the Caribbean, and Ireland. Special emphasis will be placed on the relevance of the texts under discussion to contemporary society around the world.