2003

African Literature In The Postcolonial Era

Nuruddin Farah

English language writers not from the U.S. or Great Britain have attained increasing stature in the literary world. Often, these authors are grouped under the loose rubric of “Post-Colonial literature.” This course will focus on Somali expatriate novelist Nuruddin Farah as a specific example of English language “Post-Colonial” literature, which will necessitate reading Farah’s texts in the context of recent Somali history as it intersects with the West and theories of the post-colonial in general. We will begin the course with a viewing of the recent film, Black Hawk Down in order to discuss the way Somalia is habitually represented in the U.S. media. Then we will read four of Farah’s major novels interspersed with some critical writings. Overall, this course seeks to not only center Farah as a major contemporary author, but also to raise questions regarding the function of literature in a global and post-colonial era.

Required materials:

Nuruddin Farah--Sweet and Sour Milk

--Sardines

--Maps

--Gifts

Michael Mare--The Road to Hell

Alden and Tremaine--Nuruddin Farah

Selected secondary readings

Quarter Schedule

W 9/24 Introduction to course/ Alden and Tremaine Chapter 1

F 9/26 Ella Shohat, “Notes on the ‘Post-Colonial’”

Simon Gikandi, “Globalization and the Claims of Postcoloniality”

Bring “Academic Integrity at Northwestern”

M 9/29 Sweet and Sour Milk

W 10/1 Sweet and Sour Milk

F 10/3 Sweet and Sour Milk

Visit www.english.nwu.edu/courses/stylesheet.html

M 10/6 Draft Workshop

Bring 3 copies of Essay #1 to class

W 10/8 Sweet and Sour Milk

F 10/10 Screening: Situation in Somalia

M 10/13 Sardines

Essay #1 Due

W 10/15 Sardines

Alden and Tremaine Chapter 5

F 10/17 Sardines

M 10/20 Sardines

W 10/22 Maps

F10/24 Screening: Black Hawk Down

M 10/27 Discuss: Black Hawk Down

W 10/29 Draft Workshop

Bring 3 copies of Essay #2 to class

F 10/31 Maps

Alden and Tremaine Chapter 6

M 11/3 Maps

W 11/5 Maps

Essay #2 Due

F 11/7 Maren—The Road to Hell

M 11/10 Maren—The Road to Hell

Screening: The Road to Hell

W 11/12 Maren—The Road to Hell

F 11/14 Gifts

M 11/17 Gifts

W 11/19 Draft Workshop

Bring 3 copies of Essay #3 to class

F 11/21 Gifts

M 11/24 Gifts

W 11/26 Course Synthesis