The fight for increased inclusion into American society and culture created new opportunities and dynamics for American politics but how might we understand if and how this has translated into material gains for marginalized groups? This course will look at the ways in which representation became a political demand in ways both tied and untied from other goals like anti-poverty and human rights, the economic and judicial processes that shaped the demand for political representation, the ways that representational politics plays out specifically in the realm of Black politics (with a specific focus on the politics of race, representation, and the Congressional Black Caucus), and the dialectical relationship between politics and popular culture in the 21st Century. Can representation save us? Should it? Readings for the course will include selections from authors including (but not limited to): Jane Mansbridge, Hanna Pitkin, Cathy Cohen, Marcia Chatelain, Cristina Mora, Olufemi Taiwo, Claire Jean Kim, and Katherine Tate.
Instructor: Christian Hosam
This course number was originally listed as PS109.
