Ateneo - UPO

Black and Interracial Militant Histories in US Literature and Culture (1830-1990)

This course traces the history of Black feminist thought and militant organizing in the United States from 1830 to 1990s, with sustained attention to moments of interracial and cross-constituency coalition. Rather than presenting Black militancy in isolation, the course foregrounds recurring episodes in which Black radicals built alliances across racial, gender, and class lines — and asks what those alliances accomplished, and why they so often fractured. Within the frame of interracial political culture, guest scholars will teach classes on speficic moments and examples of alliances/disruptions in the course of US history. Students will have the opportunity of engaging with fresh scholarship on key U.S. literary, political, and cultural texts, addressed from the vantage point of interracialism: from Abolitionism, to Reconstruction, to Socialism, to the Rainbow Coalition, to the Civil Rights era, they will analyze historical scholarship and literary texts written from inside the political moment under study. Class will close with two synthesizing theorists — C.L.R. James and Angela Davis — who argue that Black liberation, women's liberation, and class struggle are structurally, not just tactically, joined.
The course instructor provides the overall historical and theoretical framework, while a series of guest lectures by specialist scholars examines specific historical moments and primary texts included in the syllabus.

This syllabus represents a preliminary version of the course programme. The final list of required readings and critical materials will be published on the DIR platform before the beginning of classes.
The primary texts listed in the Extended Programme constitute an integral part of the examination syllabus and must be read in the original language.
Students are advised to consult general reference works on African American literature, U.S. cultural history and twentieth-century American political movements.
Required readings for attending students include:
excerpts from autobiographies, essays, political speeches and literary texts listed in the Extended Programme;
introductory and critical materials uploaded weekly on DIR.
Non-attending students are required to prepare the same programme as attending students. Additional historical background materials will be indicated by the instructor on DIR.
To be purchased and read in full:

Nella Larsen, Quicksand (Sabbie mobili), bilingual edition (Italian-English) edited by M. Giulia Fabi. Bologna: DeriveApprodi, 2026.
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time. Knopf Doubleday, 1992. (Available online.)
Alice Walker, Meridian: A Classic Novel of Civil Rights Activism and Feminism in the 1960s American South. Harvest / Harcourt, 2003. ISBN: 9780156028349 (or any available edition).

In addition, excerpts or chapters will be assigned from:

Frederick Douglass, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave (excerpts). Any edition. The text is available online.
Sojourner Truth, "Ain't I a Woman?" (Available on DIR.)
Ida B. Wells, Southern Horrors and A Red Record (excerpts). (Available on DIR.)
Lorenzo Costaguta, Workers of All Colors Unite! Race and the Origins of American Socialism. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2024. (Chapter 4.)
Malcolm X (selected readings from The Autobiography of Malcolm X, with Alex Haley; and Malcolm X: Collected Speeches, Debates, and Interviews, edited by Sandeep S. Atwal).
Combahee River Collective, "The Combahee River Collective Statement" (Available on DIR.)
Audre Lorde, "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House" (Available on DIR.)
Angela Davis, Women, Race, & Class. Penguin, 2025 (excerpts).
C.L.R. James, American Civilization: A Political Manifesto for the United States and the World (La civiltà americana: Un manifesto politico per gli Stati Uniti e il mondo). Milan: Meltemi, 2026 (excerpts).

The course is consistent with the learning objectives of the Degree Programme in Foreign Languages and Literatures, particularly with regard to the development of advanced skills in the critical analysis of literary and cultural texts in English and the ability to interpret such texts within their historical, political and social contexts.
The course aims to enable students to:
1. acquire knowledge of the main stages in the history of African American militant traditions from the 1830s to the 1990s;
2. understand the relationship between literary texts, political discourse and social movements in the United States;
3. analyse narrative, autobiographical, poetic and theoretical texts in English through basic critical approaches;
4. recognise the role of race, gender and class in the construction of political and cultural identities;
5. develop an independent ability to compare different historical moments, authors and forms of political organisation.

There are no formal prerequisites.
Students are required to have an English language proficiency of at least B2 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), sufficient to independently read literary and theoretical texts in the original language, follow lectures and participate in seminar discussions.
No previous specific knowledge of African American history or U.S. social movements is required, as these topics will be introduced during the course.

The course consists of 30 hours of instructor-led teaching and seminar activities conducted in English, organised into eight weekly units.
Each unit combines:
a historical, cultural and theoretical framework provided by the course instructor;
close reading and guided analysis of primary texts;
seminar discussions aimed at developing students' independent critical skills.
Guest lectures delivered by specialist scholars are an integral part of the course and provide in-depth analyses of specific historical moments, texts and interpretative questions.
Students are encouraged to participate actively through short weekly critical writing activities and classroom discussions.
Course materials, supplementary readings and bibliographical references will be made available through the DIR platform.

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or Special Educational Needs (SEN) may request dedicated services and tools by contacting the University's Career Development and Student Services Staff and consulting the relevant page of the University website. After contacting the University Staff, students may contact the lecturer responsible for the course regarding the adaptation of examination arrangements and teaching-related aspects.

Assessment consists of three integrated components designed to evaluate students’ knowledge of historical and literary contexts, their ability to analyse texts critically, and their capacity to develop independent interpretations.
The assessment strategy is based on progressive learning through continuous reading, participation in seminar discussions, and written reflection. Each component is aligned with the expected learning outcomes and contributes to evaluating the skills developed throughout the course.
1) Weekly Critical Reflection Portfolio
Contribution to final grade: 40%
Students will produce a portfolio of short critical reflections (maximum 500 words each) on assigned readings and guest lectures. Each reflection must identify an interpretative issue, discuss a specific passage from the assigned texts, connect the reading to the broader themes of the course (coalition, race, gender, class, militancy), and formulate an independent critical question.
The portfolio is assessed on students’ ability to establish meaningful connections among texts, historical contexts, and theoretical questions rather than on the reproduction of information. Reflections must be submitted progressively during the semester according to the schedule indicated on DIR.
2) Final Written Assignment
Contribution to final grade: 40%
Students submit an individual written assignment in English (approximately 2500 words) focusing on a topic addressed during the course. The assignment must include close analysis of at least two primary texts, historical and cultural contextualisation, and an independent argument supported by textual evidence.
Possible topics include:
the possibilities and limitations of interracial coalitions;
the relationship between race, gender and class in African American militant traditions;
literature as a form of political intervention;
changing concepts of freedom and citizenship in African American culture.
The written assignment is discussed during the oral examination.
3) Oral examination
Contribution to final grade: 20%
The oral examination, conducted in English, consists of a critical discussion of the written assignment and further questions on texts and themes included in the syllabus. It assesses students’ ability to justify their interpretations, establish connections among authors, periods and movements, use specialised critical vocabulary, and discuss literary and cultural issues independently.
The oral examination is not based on the repetition of course content, but on students’ ability to develop connections and formulate personal interpretations.
Assessment criteria
The final grade, expressed out of thirty, is based on the overall performance across the three assessment components.
A passing grade (18–19/30) requires knowledge of the main historical moments, authors and texts covered in the course, the ability to contextualise them correctly, and the capacity to provide basic textual analysis supported by references to assigned readings.
A grade between 20 and 23/30 requires broader knowledge of course content, the ability to connect different texts, authors and historical moments, and a developing degree of critical independence.
A grade between 24 and 27/30 requires solid command of the syllabus, the ability to produce independent and well-supported analyses, appropriate use of disciplinary vocabulary, and critical interpretation of texts within their historical and political contexts.
To achieve the highest distinction (28–30/30 and honours), students must demonstrate full command of course materials, strong critical independence, the ability to develop original and well-supported interpretations, and excellent written and oral communication skills in English.

Week 1 — Freedom, Testimony, and the Politics of Emancipation
The first week introduces the course's theoretical and historical framework through the abolitionist movement and the challenge of building political alliances between African American activists and white reformers.
Guest Lecturer: Marco Sioli (University of Milan)

Week 2 — Reconstruction: Citizenship, Racial Violence, and the Limits of Emancipation
Guest Lecturer: Marco Petrelli (University of Pisa)

Week 3 — Race, Labor, and Political Radicalism: The Progressive Era and the Popular Front
The week explores the relationship between African American movements, labor organizations, and socialist radicalism in the period following Reconstruction.
Guest Lecturer: Lorenzo Costaguta (University of Bologna)

Week 4 — Modernism, Gender, and Racial Identity
Guest Lecturer: Maria Giulia Fabi (University of Ferrara)

Week 5 — Civil Rights, Black Nationalism, and the Critique of Integration: Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin

Week 6 — Black Feminism: Difference, Coalition, and the Politics of Intersectionality
Guest Lecturer: Krystyna Mazur (University of Warsaw)

Week 7 — Women, Race, and Class: Feminist Theory and Narratives of Activism
Guest Lecturer: Sabine Broeck (University of Bremen)

Week 8 — C.L.R. James and the Structural Interconnection of Race, Gender, and Class
Guest Lecturer: Matteo Battistini (Univeristy of Bologna)

Knowledge and understanding:
By the end of the course, students will know the main stages in the cultural and political history of African American militancy from the 1830s to the 1990s and understand the relationship between literary texts, political discourse and social movements.
Applying knowledge and understanding:
Students will be able to analyse literary, autobiographical and theoretical texts in English, placing them within their historical contexts and identifying their themes, rhetorical strategies and political implications.
Making judgements:
Students will be able to critically compare different moments in U.S. cultural history, assessing the possibilities and limitations of interracial coalitions and different forms of militancy.
Communication skills:
Students will be able to present structured critical analyses, both orally and in writing, using specialised vocabulary from literary and cultural studies in English.
Learning skills:
Students will acquire methodological tools enabling them to independently pursue further study of African American literature and U.S. political culture.