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SoSe 21: PS-Introduction to Cultural Studies: Shakespeare and Race "Coal black is better than another hue"

Marie Catherine Menzel

Kommentar

Recent movements in the field of cultural and literary studies have been bringing together pre-modern studies and the perspective of critical race studies. By doing so, they show how inquiries into medieval and early modern identity constructions can contribute to the understanding of racialised epistemologies and their history. In this spirit, the seminar will explore constructions of racial and ethnic identities in early modern texts, taking as examples two of Shakespeare’s tragedies: Titus Andronicus and Othello. It will cover aspects of both historical and presentist concerns by attending to the historically contingent constructions of identity and otherness that can be found in these texts and by also considering what it means to read and perform these plays today, with actively anti-racist practices at the forefront of the critical and cultural project.

Participants should be familiar with both plays by the beginning of term. I highly recommend the Revised Arden Shakespeare Third Series editions (ISBN: 9781350030916; 9781472571762). Any other scholarly annotated edition is fine as well (New Cambridge Shakespeare, Folger Shakespeare Library etc.) but keep in mind that recent editions provide the most up-to-date editorial matter and will thus be more useful for you in preparing for the particular perspective of this class. Other assigned reading will be made available via Blackboard.

Furthermore, I will assume that participants of this course are somewhat familiar with the basic cultural studies tenet of understanding artistic representations as constitutive of reality and their meanings as culturally constructed. This was covered in part one of the module, the lecture “Grundkurs: Introduction to Cultural Studies” in the winter term. For self-study of these basics I recommend The SAGE Dictionary of Cultural Studies (Chris Barker, 2004) and British Cultural Studies: An Introduction (Third Edition) (Graeme Turner, 2003).

Full credits for the course can be obtained on the basis of regular participation in class discussions, contributions to class activities (e.g., student presentations, assignments) and the eventual submission of a research paper of ca. 2000 words.

At the time of writing of this description (22nd February 2021) this class is expected to be conducted online. It will include live sessions at the scheduled seminar time via WebEx. In order to participate you will need a serviceable computer or similar device, a working microphone and webcam, and a stable internet connection. All further information (e.g. login codes for the live sessions) will be distributed via Blackboard, so if you have been assigned to the class, make sure that you have access to the Blackboard course prior to the first session.

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