INDG2001 Black Poetics: Indigenous Literary Studies

2020

4.5

1 x 1-hour lecture weekly
1 x 2-hour tutorial weekly

Critical reflection, Essay, Group presentation, Tutorial participation

This topic will introduce students to the rich and diverse world of local and global Indigenous literatures, and the power of story and text to effect personal and collective social change. It will explore critical social and historical contexts and frameworks, including global trans-Indigenous movements and conversations that intersect race, class, gender, cultural and queer studies; and identity and representation politics. Locally and culturally- situated methodologies of resistance and transformation will be examined through methods and texts that are decolonising, generative and honouring; that reckon with histories of colonialism, and that bear witness to contemporary priorities such as climate justice, land and country rights, and human rights. This topic frames Indigenous literary studies through a politics of relationality and refusal; blood-memory and haunting; and the poetics of Indigenous sovereignty. This topic will draw on Indigenous Creative Sovereignties and privilege Indigenous Knowledges and perspectives to consider, analyse and articulate Indigenous futures, through critical arts-based learning.

This topic aims to introduce students to the broad scope of local and global Indigenous literatures; examine these literary contributions and how Indigenous interests are represented in these texts. It will also allow students to examine how Indigenous literatures contribute to global trans-Indigenous movements and intersect with political movements of sovereignty, race, class, gender, identity, cultural and queer studies.

On completion of this topic, students will be expected to be able to:

1. Discuss their foundational understandings of the multiplicity of global Indigenous literatures

2. Appraise how key Indigenous texts contribute to resistance and transformation

3. Further develop critical awareness of Indigenous sovereignties, voice, identities and speaking positions.