1111 ENG 126: Racial Passing, Black and WhitePosted in Course Offerings, Literary/Artistic Criticism, Media Archive, Passing on 2010-08-30 20:41Z by Steven |
1111 ENG 126: Racial Passing, Black and White
The College of Saint Rose
Albany, New York
Fall 2009
Eurie Dahn, Assistant Professor of English
In this course, we will analyze depictions of racial passing in American literature. In particular, we will examine narratives where African Americans “pass” for white and vice versa. While the popularity of passing as a historical phenomenon is debatable, it is incontestably a source of literary richness. This course is also about interraciality and the meaning of race itself, as the possibility of passing exposes hidden ambiguities and anxieties about race in the United States. Texts we will read may include those by Jessie Fauset, Nella Larsen, James Weldon Johnson, Mark Twain, and Walter Mosley. This is a discussion-based course, so come prepared to participate. Fulfills diversity requirement.