African American Anthropology

From the early days when the discipline of anthropology was actively constructing notions of race and debating the relationship between race and culture, Black people in the United States have been subjects, objects, authors, and, at times a conundrum of categorization, helping to define and shape social science fields. This course surveys anthropology’s history, methods, debates, big questions, and recurring themes, primarily (though not exclusively) as they relate to Black people in the U.S. It takes into account the specificities of U.S. racial formations and American-style cultural anthropology. What theories and sensibilities emerge within and outside of the disciplinary confine in work by, with, and about Black people in the Americas? This course engages foundational work as well as newer ethnographic writings and other media that push the anthropological horizon. Through reading, listening, watching, discussing, collaborative study, and writing assignments, the course probes key concepts including the social construction of race, the culture concept, “the field,” diaspora, and many others. It also explores more recent turns to decolonizing, activist, and abolitionist anthropologies. Instructor's permission required for enrollment.