African 203: Geography of Identity: Femininities in Francophone Literature

This introductory course will investigate ways black Francophone women writers and critics construct and express feminine identities throughout time and space in their writings. Through literature, films, and other readings, we will examine the intersections of gender, race, nation, and postcolonialism, among others, to understand the various ways in which Francophone women articulate their subjectivities. We will look at different topics such as body politics, sexuality, womanhood, marriage, resistance, feminism, and immigration to discuss how these sociocultural processes shape the experiences of black francophone women.

Sample texts:
Ken Begul, The Abandonnd Baobab

Assia Djebar, So Vast the Prison

Maryse Condé, Heremakhonon

Films
Mati Diop, Atlantics