Although the Caribbean is a familiar space in the United States, its complex histories and cultures are distorted by the tourist images that popularize this region. Our brief survey of anglophone literary texts will reconsider the archipelago from a more varied perspective. How do these works reflect and shape a unique history-of the Americas in general and of the Caribbean in particular? What makes them Caribbean and what is their relationship to English/European, North and Latin American cultures and histories? The course will focus on topics such as genocide, indentured servitude, slavery, empire, creolization, racial, ethnic, and gender conflicts, migration, nationalism, performative cultures, orality and so on. Connections to American and African diaspora history and culture will be encouraged.

This course satisfies the following CURRENT English major/minor requirement: Identity & Difference

This course satisfies the following NEW English major/minor requirements: Regions: Americas, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Time: Contemporary/Modern

Course Requirements:

Assignments include an in-class midterm, a short essay, and a final research paper unit.

Intended Audience:

The course is accessible to undergraduates across all departments and programs, including LSA, the Honors Program, the Residential College, as well as students in music, theater, dance, art and design, architecture, engineering, etc. No previous knowledge of Caribbean literature is required.