EGH6019 White Like Me: Reading Whiteness in American Literature

Aims/Description: One of the most compelling features of American writing remains its deep engagement with questions of race and identity. This module investigates the literary construction of race by exploring the aesthetic and theoretical design of whiteness. We will consider the relationship between nationalism and whiteness and the significance of class, gender and region in shaping portraits of white identity. We will read key `white¿ authors of the American tradition such as Herman Melville and William Faulkner and read their narratives of whiteness against the works of African American and Native American authors like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin and Sherman Alexie.

Staff Contact: Sandra Henry

Teaching Methods: Seminars, Independent Study

Assessment: Course work

Information on the department responsible for this unit (English):

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Teaching timetable

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Teaching methods and assessment displayed on this page are indicative for 2021-22. Students will be informed by the academic department of any changes made necessary by the ongoing pandemic.