Not an Ordinary Child: Politics of Age and Race in American Literature and Culture - Einzelansicht

As scholars of children and childhood frequently emphasize, the ”child” as a distinct subject was born mid-nineteenth century, out of the wedlock between the sentimental culture and the restructured labor marketplace. Within this cult of true childhood, children were imaged to be innocent and unknowing, vulnerable and helpless, ”economically worthless” yet ”emotionally priceless,” and, therefore mostly white (Zelizer). Black children, as Robin Bernstein argues, were not only excluded from the rights and protections associated with this age of innocence but were also persistently depicted as insensate. Focusing on the intersectionality of the politics of age and race, the course ”Not an Ordinary Child: Politics of Age and Race in American Literature and Culture” looks into representations of Black children in literary, cultural and political discourses. The goals of the course are: 1. to consider the racial politics of hegemonic narratives of childhood; 2. to understand the specific experiences and vulnerabilities of Black children; 3. to consider how race and age intersect with other sociopolitical categories; 4. to analyze the linkage of rights of childhood to civil rights.

The course with all additional information will be available on Moodle from 28 April 2020. Further information will follow soon.