The Black Body Subjected

SEN1315 The Black Body Subjected: The Complexity of Being a Black Man in America

(Senior Instructor: Shatiek Gatlin) Michael Brown. Tamir Rice. Eric Garner. These are few among the many names of Black men who have recently been killed by police officers across the United States. We also can't forget Trayvon Martin, unarmed teenager shot by George Zimmerman. The deaths of these men have sparked a national conversation about race in America, in the era of the first black male President. Conversations have sparked on Babson's campus as well. What made the bodies of these black men subject to such peril, with no charges being brought to their executioners? From what historical realities and hierarchies did ideas associated with being a black man in America emerge? How do Americans act when they encounter a black man who doesn't fulfill the negative stereotypes? This course will explore the complexity and vulnerability of being a black man in America, particularly as it pertains to the origins, perpetuation, and implications of negative stereotypes. We will also consider the intersections of socio-economic class, sexuality, gender, etc. in our seminar conversations. In the seminar we will be reading articles, watching media clips, and fostering conversation using both.

Course Schedule:
Class 1 - Tuesday, January 26
Class 2 - Tuesday, February 2
Class 3 - Tuesday, February 9
Class 4 - TBD. Tuesday February 16 is a Babson Monday so this class date is TBD.
Class 5 - Tuesday, February 23
Class 6 - Senior Seminar Showcase: Tuesday or Wednesday evening, 3/1 or 3/2. Details to be confirmed by first day of class.