Humanities Arts Cultural Stu 0163 - Imitations of Life

This course traces the historical journey of Africans both on the continent and in the diaspora as they negotiate the 1930s and 1940s. I have tried to select films that embody experience, either directly or indirectly from an African or African-Diaspora perspective. All the films are based on novels, plays, poems, or memoirs. During the course, we will read about the historical, cultural, and political contexts that surround the films, but the films will be our main text. We will discuss such themes as: the commodification of culture, notions of national identity, race and gender as floating signifiers, etc. Some of the films are 85 years old, but they innovate and experiment with this medium - film which at the time was still a new and developing influence on culture as a whole. In this course, students are expected to spend 7-8 hours weekly on preparation and work outside of class time.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research In this course, students are expected to spend 7-8 hours weekly on preparation and work outside of class time.