Black Studies (BLKS)

BLKS 2000 - Contemporary Black Worlds - 3 credits

This seminar explores culturally relevant topics in the con- temporary African American world. Changing topic with each offering, students will consider African American experiences from economic, social, historical, racial, cultural, national, and global perspectives. Themes will include such topics as Black Success, contemporary black film, movements for social justice, modern African American literature etc. The specific course description will be in the course selection guide. (Same course as P&H 2000).

This course meets the Curry Core Diversity requirement.

BLKS 2541 - Race and Religion in America - 3 credits

Offered periodically within a three-year academic cycle

The class explores some of the characteristics of African religions; slave religion, slave narratives, and their role in slave rebellions; the central role of religion in the African-American community throughout American history; the role of religion in the context of the Atlanta Compromise, Booker T, Washington vs. W.E.B. DuBois; the roles of key people such as Absalom Jones, Richard Allen, Denmark Vesey, Nat Turner, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Gar- vey, Elijah Muhammad, Howard Thurman, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Louis Farrakhan, Jesse Jackson, James H. Cone, “womanist” thinkers writers/ theologians like Delores Williams and Emilie Townes, etc. A special focus of the course will be on the role of the black church in the struggle for civil rights, highlighting the complex relation- ship between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. The role of religion in the contemporary African-American community(ies) will also be examined. The relationship between African-American religion(s), not existing in isolation, and the dominant white society will also be explored throughout the course. (Same course as PRS 2541).

This course meets the Curry Core Humanities Breadth requirement and the Information Literacy Enhancement requirement.

BLKS 3050 - Race, Class, Gender and Health - 3 credits

Fall Semester

This course is designed for those students who are interested in exploring the impact that racism, sexism, classism, and heterosexism have on a population’s overall health and well- being. This course will deconstruct these social concepts and their meanings in today’s society and contrast them to the health status of vulnerable communities. Major areas that are explored in this course include the impact of race/cultural on infectious and chronic diseases, the influence of discrimination on illness and death, social status and its relation to health care access, impact of acculturation and assimilation on health and well-being, and methods/strategies of working with diverse populations. Ideal for those who are interested in going into a health-related profession, students are pro- vided with knowledge and skills that are necessary to work with diverse communities. (Same course as HW 3050).

This course meets the Curry Core Diversity requirement.

Pre- or co-requisites: HW 1000 and junior standing.