ENG 394 Race & Speculation
Department of English
Davidson College
CHAM 1006
Professor Shanté Paradigm Smalls
shsmalls@davidson.edu
SPRING 2012
Office hours: M 2-4:30 (by appointment only)
T 4:30-5 (drop-in)
Office location: Preyer 205
RACE & SPECULATION
From the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)
race [2] n. 1. Each of the major divisions of humankind, having distinct physical
characteristics. an ethnic group. a group descended from a common ancestor. 2. A
group of people or things with a common feature. 3 Biology a distinct population within a
species; a subspecies.
-ORIGIN C16: via Fr. From Ital. razza, of unknown ultimate origin.
Usage race
In recent years, the association of race with the ideologies and theories that grew out of
the work of 19th-century anthropologists and physiologists has led to the use of the word
race itself becoming problematic. Although still used in general contexts, it is know often
replaced by other words which are less emotionally charged, such as people(s) or
community.
OED
speculate v. 1. From a theory or conjecture without firm evidence
-DERIVATIVES speculation n. speculator n.
-ORIGIN C16: from L. speculat-, speculari ‘observe’, from specula ‘watchtower’, from
specere ‘to look’.
speculative adj. 1. Engaged in, expressing, or based on conjecture rather than
knowledge.
This course will be a survey of the intersection of the categories of race, specifically,
blackness, and speculation, or race as speculation. Using Afrofuturism, psychoanalysis,
science fiction, literature, popular culture, film and music, we will explore what we mean
when we talk about race (and gender and sexuality) and speculation. How is the category
of race itself a speculation? What do we speculate based on what and who we see, how
we hear? How do artists, writers, musicians, inventories speculate about race? We will,
of course, put pressure on these categories, to investigate the ways we have been taught
to think about race, gender and speculative fiction as fixed categories, rather than as
dialogical positions that move with and over time. We will use theories of Afrofuturism,
speculative fiction, and psychoanalysis as organizing tools from which we may diverge,
but nevertheless, give us some theoretical grounding.
Most of our readings, viewings, listenings and other sensory interactions will focus on
human bodies, embodiment and disembodiment, as well as other body-related issues:
sexual desire, illness, cleanliness, texture, taste and smell. We will also investigate why
race is still understood in terms of the polarity of black and white; ways to think about
gender beyond a binary system; and the ways that speculation, rumor, and stereotypes
shape our perception of our lives and world.
Assignments: There will be four (4) major assignments:
A. Two short (3-5 response pages) (20% of grade)
B. One take-home mid-term (8-10 pages) (25% of grade)
C. One final paper (10-15 pages) (30% of grade)
--OR-D. A final public artistic/performance project with a short (2 page) artist statement
(same as above)
Class: Attendance and participation is highly valued. Class is a time to exchange ideas,
talk to and listen to one another. We should think of our class as an experiment and
approach it with curiosity, preparedness and openness. (25% of grade)
Class Blog: We will develop a blog as a class, everyone will be asked to contribute to it
in depth at least once in relation to course topics and their effects. (your contribution is
considered part of your class participation). http://sites.davidson.edu/ENG394/
Plagiarism: Don’t do it. Remember the Honor Code.
Writing Center: Please use the Center if you feel the need. They are actually quite
helpful.
Special accommodations and/or disabilities: Please let me know if you have any special
needs or any disabilities that need to be accommodated for this class. I am happy to do
so.
Absences: each student gets two absences, no questions asked (that’s one week of class).
The third absence will result in a reduction in grade. If you have a game, official college,
event, etc, please let me know in writing a week ahead of time. Emergencies,
catastrophes, and severe illness will be handled ad hoc under a separate policy if they
should occur.
REQUIRED TEXTS: Dark Matter: A Century of Speculative Fiction from the African
Diaspora (Vol 1) Edited by Sheree R. Thomas
Fledgling Octavia Butler
Vietnamerica GB Tran
White Teeth Zadie Smith
Bastard Out of Carolina Dorothy Allison
Ten Little Indians Sherman Alexie
The Gilda Stories Jewelle Gomez
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Díaz
Science Fiction: A Very Short Introduction David Seed
WEEK 1 (Jan 17, 2012)
1.Introduction
2. What is Afrofuturism?: Dery, Mark. “Black to the Future: Afro-Futurism 1.0” AfroFuture Females: Black Writers Chart Science Fiction’s Newest New-Wave Trajectory.
Ed. Marleen S. Barr (Moodle)
McLeod, Ken. “Space Oddities: Aliens, Futurism, and Meaning in Popular Music”
3. Dery, Mark. “Black to the Future: Interviews with Samuel R. Delany, Greg Tate, and
Tricia Rose.” The South Atlantic Quarterly, 1993, 735-778. (Moodle)
Yaszek, Lisa. “Afrofuturism, Science Fiction, and the History of the Future”
Clip from Space is the Place (1972, 1974)
Official Website: http://www.outerspacewaysinc.com/html/Stills.html
Listen: “Space is the Place”
WEEK 2 (Jan 23, 26)
4. Lane, Christopher. “Psychoanalysis of Race: An Introduction,” Psychoanalysis of
Race, 1-37 (Moodle)
Listen: Prince Paul, “You Made Me (A.K.C.)” Psychoanalysis [What is it?] (1996)
5. Freud, Sigmund. “The Uncanny,” An Infantile Neurosis and Other Works: The
Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud. Trans. and Ed.
James Strachey, with Anna Freud and Alix Strachey and Alan Tyson. Volume XVII
(1917-1919). (Moodle)
Check out: Uncanny Images
Watch/Listen: Bjork “ All is Full of Love”
WEEK 3 (Jan 31, Feb 2)
6. Brown, Jayna and Alexis Lothian. “Speculative Life: Introduction” Social Text
Seed, David. Science Fiction: A Very Short Introduction, 1-46
Shelley, Ward. “The History of Science Fiction” graphic chronology
“A History of Science Fiction” Science Fiction Exhibition at the British Library
(YouTube vid)
7. Seed, David. Science Fiction: A Very Short Introduction, 47-96
Nyong’o, Tavia. “So Say We All,” Social Text
Watch Battle Star Galactica: Razor (parts 1 and 2) Hulu.com (free)
WEEK 4 (Feb 7, 9)
Butler, Octavia. Fledgling
Additional reading: Fink, MM. AIDS Vampires: Reimagining Illness in Octavia Butler’s
Fledgling
Lacey, Lauren J. Octavia E. Butler on Coping with Power in Parable of the Sower,
Parable of the Talents, and Fledgling.
Response Paper Due (Thursday)
Get Mid-term objects and questions
WEEK 5 (No class Feb 14th, Class back Feb 16th)
Alexie, Sherman. Ten Little Indians
Additional Reading: Ladino, JK. “A Limited Range of Motion?” Multiculturalism,
“Human Questions,” and Urban Identity in Sherman Alexie’s Ten Little Indians
Smith, Andre. “Queer Theory and Native Studies: The Heteronormativity of Settler
Colonialism” GLQ, Vol 16, 1-2: 2010
Watch: The Couple in the Cage (Coco Fusco and Guillermo Gomez Peña)
Weekly Bloggers: Tianna (T), Madeline (R)
WEEK 6 (Feb 21, 23)
GB Tran SKYPE call in-class Feb 21st
Tran, GB. Vietnamerica
Additional Reading: Tabachnick, “Introduction” 1-15 and Rabkin, Eric S. “Reading Time
in the Graphic Narrative,” Teaching the Graphic Novel. Ed. Stephen E Tabachnick, 3643. (Moodle)
Selection from This Book Contains Graphic Language (TBD)
Watch/Listen: Decipher ft. Manifest & DJ Zo “Angry Asian Man”
Weekly Bloggers: Whitney (T), Will (R)
WEEK 7 (Feb 28, March 1)
DuBois, W.E.B. “The Comet”; Schuyler, George, “Black No More”; Charles W.
Chesnutt's "The Goophered Grapevine" (1887), and more TBD in Dark Matter
Barr, Marlene. “Preface” Afro-Future Females (Moodle)
Watch/Listen: Janelle Monáe, “Cold War”
Redmond, Shana L. “This Safer Space: Janelle Monáe’s ‘Cold War’” Journal of Popular
Music Studies, Vol 23, No 4, December 2011
Weekly Bloggers: Kaneisha (T), Joy (R)
SPRING BREAK
WEEK 8 (March 13, 15)
Smith, Zadie. White Teeth
Multimedia microsite on PBS.org about the film and novel:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/teeth/essays.html
Watch: http://www.hulu.com/white-teeth (4 episodes)
Take Home Mid-term due (Thurs)
WEEK 9 (March 20, 22)
Allison, Dorothy. Bastard Out of Carolina
Baily, Patricia Dunn. “Female Gothic Fiction. Grotesque Realities, and Bastard Out of
Carolina: Dorothy Allison Revises the Southern Gothic”. The Mississippi Quarterly,
63:1-2(Winter-Spring 2010)
Dorothy Allison talks about Bastard Out of Carolina
Film: Bastard Out of Carolina, parts 1-6 on YouTube (DVD also in Little Library)
Weekly Bloggers: Joe (T), Anne (R)
WEEK 10 (March 27, March 29)
Díaz, Junot. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.
Hanna, Monica. “‘Reassembling the Fragments’: Battling Historiographies, Caribbean
Discourse, and Nerd Genres in Junot Díaz’s The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao”.
Callaloo, Vol 33, No 2, Spring 2010
Interview with Junot on Bookslut.com
Weekly Bloggers: Meira (T), Harrison (R)
WEEK 11 (April 3, April 5)
REQUIRED ATTENDANCE: Suzan Lori-Parks either Common Hour in 900 Room
on 4/3 or 7pm at Duke Auditorium on 4/3 (free tix, WILL CALL , Alvarez)
Gomez, Jewelle. The Gilda Stories
Gomez, Jewelle. “But Some of Us are Brave Lesbians: The Absence of Black Lesbian
Fiction” in Black Queer Studies (Moodle)
X-men (Mutant X verse): Bloodstorm. Bloodstorm “turning” Kitty Pryde and here.
Weekly Bloggers: Taylor (T), Cidney (R)
EASTER BREAK
WEEK 12 (April 12 (Thurs), 17 (Tues))
Carrington, André. “Utopian Strategies and the Myth of the Superwoman,” in Speculative
Fiction and Media Fandom Through a Lens, Darkly (Moodle)
Barr, Marleen S. “ ‘On the Other Side of the Glass’: The Television Roots of Black
Science Fiction” Afrofuture Females (Moodle)
Watch/Listen: Patti LaBelle’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” circa 1982
Watch: Nichelle Nicols Tribute Video, 2008
Response Paper Due—due Tuesday, April 17th
Weekly Bloggers: Victoria (T), Aria (R)
WEEK 13 (April 19 (Thurs), April 24 (Tues))
Seshadri-Crooks. “Introduction: on Looking” Desiring Whiteness: A Lacanian Analysis
of Race (Moodle), 1-10
Dyer, Richard. “White” (Moodle)
Weheliye, Alex. “Race for Life” Social Text
Weekly Bloggers: Eddison (T), Adam (R)
NO Class Thursday, April 26th—Spring Convocation
WEEK 14 (May 1, 3)
Haraway. D.,”A Manifesto for Cyborgs” 65-107 and Randolph, J, “Looking back at
Cyborgs,” 182-186 The Uncanny: Experiments in Cyborg Culture (Moodle)
Watch/listen: Janelle Monáe’s “Many Moons,”
Final Performances
Weekly Bloggers: Robert (T), Stephen (R)
WEEK 15 (May 8th)
Papers and Final Performances DUE (last class May 8th)