Faculty First Year Seminars 197EDUC8 - ?N Word:? Does it Have a Place

The ?N word? has a unique history in the English language. On the one hand, it was used as the ultimate insult and was intended to demean, degrade, and to torment generations of African Americans; it was a term that authorized violence and influenced racist public policy. On the other hand, over time, the word has been refashioned as a term of endearment and is now often used in casual discourse and in popular culture. During this seminar, we will dissect the historical meaning and the contemporary use of the N word as well as examine the impact of language on identity and in the social world. In short, we will be thinking about the legacy and meaningfulness of this word in relationship to American history, culture, and consciousness.

Freshmen Only