Description
Afrofuturism, a term that refers to the ways in which Black cultural producers participate in shaping the future through the melding of art and technology, is a vibrant and rapidly expanding field of cultural production and critique. Octavia Butler, Sun Ra, and Ishmael Reed are just some of the most recognizable figures of Afrofuturism - as their art, music, literature have expanded the boundaries of how we understand the intersection of technology, communication, Black art and culture, particularly in reference to futuristic themes and discourse. In this course, students will delve into the world of Afrofuturism, tracing its trajectory in African America literature, visual rhetoric and culture from the nineteenth century to the present. Students will pay particular attention to the transgressive literary styles of Black science fiction and fantasy and the ways in which Afrofuturism reflects the complicated techno-politics of envisioning the future.