AFR 210(S) Black Leadership in American Culture (Same as Leadership Studies 210)*

Recent popular culture and scholarship suggest a total absence of African American political leadership in the contemporary moment. What does this obsession with the leadership "void" obscure about African American politics? What does it enable? What is the historical relationship between American popular culture and dominant perceptions about what constitutes genuine political leadership? This course introduces students to fundamental concepts in the study of black politics and black culture-activism, representation, identity, democracy, and nationalism-by considering the construction of black leadership in American culture. In this effort, we will consider an array of materials, such as films, magazines, newspaper articles, and fiction, that will help us understand the aesthetic dimension of leadership and how popular culture serves as the site through which political ideals are produced and circulated. Novels include Charles Johnson's Dreamer and Paul Beatty's White Boy Shuffle; films include Malcolm X and Panther; secondary readings include essays by Adolph Reed, Todd Boyd, Norman Kelley, and Toni Morrison.
Format: lecture/discussion. Requirements: active participation, written responses to readings, and four 5- to 7-page essays.
No prerequisites. Enrollment limit: 25 (expected: 20). Preference is given to advanced students and Africana Studies concentrators.

Hour: E. EDWARDS