Afro-American Studies 597E - ST- Dalits & African Americans

The purpose of this seminar is to begin to explore similarities, differences, connections and convergences between the Dalit population of India and African Americans in the United States. We will read short histories of both peoples, studies that focus on examples of historic interactions, and studies comparing leading figures of both groups. Most of the reading will center on the 20th century i.e. India during the periods of colonization, anti-colonization, and independence; and on African Americans from emancipation to the end of legal segregation. There is a rich and rapidly growing scholarship on these topics so view this seminar as an opening to a complex and important topic.

There is a rich and rapidly growing scholarship on these topics so view this seminar as an opening to a complex and important topic. Good books to read, discussion format, class presentation on one of the books, final paper.