REL 261(S) Rastafari: Dread, Politics, Agency (Same as Africana Studies 302 and Political Science 234)

AFR 302(S) Rastafari: Dread, Politics, Agency (Same as Political Science 234 and Religion 261)
The emergence of Rastafari in the twentieth-century marked a distinct phase in the theory and practice of political agency. From its heretical roots in Jamaica, Garveyism, Ethiopianism, and Pan-Africanism, Rastafari has evolved from a Caribbean theological movement to an international political actor. This course investigates the political theory of Rastafari in order to develop intellectual resources for theorizing the concept of agency in contemporary Africana thought and political theory. We will analyze texts and audio-visual works on the political economy of late colonial Jamaica, core Rastafari thinking, political theology, the role of reggae music, the notion of agency, and the influence of Rastafari on global politics.
Format: lecture. Evaluation will be based upon one 5- to 7-page midterm essay, a group lyrics and politics project, and one 10- to 12-page final exam.
No prerequisites. No enrollment limit (expected 25). Open to all
Hour: ROBERTS