History 262 - (C) The History of the N-Word: Race, Violence and Language in the United States

The N-word is the great symbol of white supremacy in the United States. When spoken by African Americans, it emerges as a powerful symbol of anti-racist politics, verbal protest and artistic expression. What does the N-word really mean? How does it create a firestorm in certain contexts, but not others? In this interdisciplinary course, students explore history, film, literature, music and political debate to look closely at the histories of race and racism in the U.S. They also ask larger questions about how to talk about the N-word, "the atomic bomb of racial slurs," in the classroom and in public.