Fall 2016 FR 453/TH 422: Community, connections and the practice of story telling

FR 453/TH 422 African and Caribbean Literature
Community, Connection, and the Practice of Story Sharing
Fall 2016 MWF 1-1.50pm Clemens 930
Prof. Christian Flaugh

We all share stories. Yet we all do it differently. Some of us turn to social media where we weave together words and images. Others prefer live group chats where we become a type of conteur (tale-teller). And still others like a blend of both. Story sharing is a pastime. A craft. And it’s also an art form. It’s a timeless practice of community building that exists throughout world regions and blends together cultural traditions.

This course focuses on African and Caribbean literary and performing arts and how they foster communities and connections through story sharing. We’ll start by discussing the meaning of community, connection, and story sharing in African and Caribbean contexts around the world, and how story sharing involves performing, writing, and choosing the form. We’ll also think about how story sharing relies on different types of text,language, and media (including the oral tradition and social media), and how it often raises performative questions about the cultures and politics of African and Caribbean communities. We’ll read creolophone and francophone dramatic texts as well as novels and tales (all in translation), taking a look at how they incorporate performance elements of the theatre, street festivals, and tale telling in order to share stories with and connect to communities. And we’ll create our own story sharing performances as we decide where to share them and how they build or connect to communities. All work is in English; French majors and minors will complete portions of work in French; other students may elect to work in French if their level of proficiency allows.