Special Topic on Equatorial Guinean History, Cultures,
National and Trans-National Identities
2:10 - 5pm
3 CREDIT HOURS
TARGET LANGUAGES: ENGLISH & SPANISH
Dr. Cément Akassi
Department of World Languages and Cultures
Critical Theories, Comparative Studies, or Instructor Approval
Did you know that Spanish is spoken, as an official language, in Sub-saharan Africa? Did you know that one of the reasons of the recent increasing interest for Spanish language among U.S. citizens is also due to the interest for Equatorial Guinea?
This course is designed to bring cultural, historical, political and ideological awareness to students, scholars and professionals about Equatorial Guinea, the only Sub-saharan African Spanish-speaking country. The study of Equatorial Guinean cultures (art, literature, religion, music, film, etc.) within the the socio-economical, political and historical contexts will:
- Drive us to establish the connections between Africa, Europe and the Americas;
- Highlight the similarities and differences in the construction of the identities between the African Diaspora and Equatorial Guinea in postcolonial Hispanism;
- Demonstrate Equatorial Guinean identity within the multilingual African and African Diaspora contexts, and the displacement and/or exile as factors of (trans)national identities and changes, etc.
The postcolonial theories (with a special emphasis on the Postcolony Theory of Achille Mbembe) and Alice Walker’s womanism will serve as theoretical lenses to approach the special topics of this course.