AAST 210 - Black Masculinities

FC ARHU CD

4 credits
With the rise of Donald Trump and the #MeToo Movement, debates about hyper, toxic, and positive masculinity dominated American media. Disputes over the role of men and manhood in American society have fueled what some call a “crisis of masculinity.” For African Americans, debates over Black men’s masculinity-and the perceived “dangers” it posed to white society-have shaped American discourse since enslavement and intensified during the twentieth century. In this course, students will explore the development of Black masculinity from 1960-2000. Through film, music, literature, and history, students will examine how Black men defined their masculinity through class, sexuality, economics, and their evolving role within the Black family and society.

This course is appropriate for new students.