Introduction to Modern African Literature

This introductory course will explore major trends and themes in African literature from the mid-20th century to the present day. We will examine how African writers have responded to the challenges of colonialism, postcolonialism, globalization, and modernity, and how they have used literature to explore issues of identity, culture, politics, and social justice. Reading novels, short and epic stories, plays, and poems from across the continent and the diaspora, we will analyze the formal and thematic innovations of African literature and its contributions to world literature.