2023/24 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

HIST5910M The Idea of Black Culture

30 creditsClass Size: 10

Module manager: Dhanveer Singh Brar
Email: D.S.Brar@Leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2023/24

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

Cultural expression has been central to the history of the black diaspora since its inception. Forms such as music, dance, poetry, literature, theatre, film, painting and sculpture, have served as the venues through which black diasporic consciousness has been generated and black politics made manifest. As such, the question of what black culture means in its totality, of what it constitutes as an idea, has been a source of ongoing debate amongst black intellectuals. These debates centre on the belief that grasping the unique character of black diasporic expression is key to generalising its political potential. In this module, we will engage with the work of intellectuals attentive to the idea of black culture, covering the historical span from emancipation in the nineteenth century through to the present, alongside the geographical spread of North America, the Caribbean, Europe and the African continent. It will involve close readings and discussions of essays, articles and books by key black diasporic intellectuals, in order to unpack their particular stance on black culture as an idea.

Objectives

The aim of this module is to explore a set of historical and ongoing debates on the idea of black culture in the diaspora; examine and discuss the writing of black intellectuals on the question of culture; understand and engage with the idea of black culture within the historical context of the black diaspora; to develop knowledge on the range of debates and approaches to black diasporic culture as an idea.

Learning outcomes
By the end of this module students will be able to:

Critically analyse and contexualise a range of intellectual debates

Understand and track intellectual debates in relation to a set of historical contexts

Discuss in written form the relationships between different examples of intellectual production in a range of historical contexts

Engage with and evaluate a series of intellectual materials as part of developing their historical skills

Demonstrated the ability to apply fundamental standards and practices of historical study for research, discussion, and assessed work.

Syllabus

Indicative topics on this module may include:

Race, aesthetics & politics; black diaspora and its key debates such as Changing Same; form & content; experimentalism & popular culture; black feminism; black queer studies; race & dialectics; race & post-structuralism

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Seminars	11	2.00	22.00
Private study hours			278.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			300.00

Private study

Preparatory reading for seminars to include own bibliographical searches to supplement tutor recommendations (55 hours)

Further self-directed reading (22 hours)

Independent research and writing of the essays (135 hours for essay, 82 hours for commentary)

Reflection on feedback (6 hours).

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will receive formative feedback following the 2000-word commentary they submit in week 8. The feedback received for this assessment will then feed into the students planning and tutorial time for their 4000-word due in exam week 2.  

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2000 word commentary	40.00
Essay	4000 word essay	60.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 28/04/2023 14:41:15

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