A study of selected novels on political topics by contemporary women writers. The focus will be on the kinds of integration between political and personal elements developed in these fictions, with their considerations of reinscriptions of past history, postcolonial African and Caribbean politics, utopias and dystopias, and the ramifications of political activism. The relationships between literary and polemical discourses will be a major concern, as will feminist theory relevant to the writers covered. The Women's Studies Colloquium series is designed to encourage feminist scholarship and support the work of feminist scholars both across disciplinary boundaries and within disciplines, and to develop an intellectual community. Invited faculty and graduate students speak on a wide variety of topics from numerous feminist and theoretical perspectives.
Attendance is mandatory.
Your grade will be based on thoughtful questions and discussion following the speakers' presentation. It is your responsibility to sign the weekly class roll. The colloquia are free and open to the public.