| Unit name | Black Humanities I |
|---|---|
| Unit code | HUMSM0013 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Robles |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Humanities |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Why is this unit important?
Based on cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and contemporary practice, this unit provides students with a foundation in Black Humanities as a field of study. Students will explore key concepts, ideas and figures in the rich histories of intellectual and cultural production of people of African descent. Structured through a focus on three key locations and the connections between them – Africa, Caribbean and the Americas, and Black Britain – the unit will build a transnational and interdisciplinary approach to Black Humanities. It will draw on critical work from across the arts, history, literature, philosophy and social theory, for students to understand the history of the field and to interrogate historical and contemporary notions of race. Topics may include: Black feminisms, civil rights and Black radicalism, and the history of Black studies as a discipline.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
The is a required unit for students on the MA Black Humanities. It provides an introduction to theoretical frameworks and concepts that underpin the field of Black Humanities; insight into recent developments in this rapidly changing field; and its relationship to key contemporary questions and issues. It also provides students with the opportunity to develop their writing skills in different ways – from the production of a reflective journal to a longer academic essay.
An overview of content
This unit will introduce you to key themes, moments and texts that form the bedrock of Black Humanities. It is rooted in the rich diversity of histories, intellectual and cultural production of Africa and its diasporas, and invites you to consider the important trans-national and interdisciplinary nature of our field of study. Drawing on a broad chronological range and situated across and between three main geographical sites of focus – Britain, the Caribbean and Americas, and Africa - it explores important developments including the construction of race, the politics of anti-racism and the methodologies and insights offered by post-colonial, anti-colonial and Critical Race theories. Topics may include: the intellectual histories of civil rights, Black Feminism and Black radical politics.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
Through this unit you will gain critical insight into pressing questions in today’s society – from the contemporary resurgence of the Black Lives Matter Movement to debates around the legacies of the Transatlantic slave trade and the demonization of Critical Race Theory. You will be able to engage critically with a variety of creative and critical media, from visual art to historical texts, and have a firm grounding in the possibilities and implications of Black Humanities as a field of study. You will develop your critical skills, building confidence and competencies that will help you in the approach to the assessments and provide a foundation for specialist units.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, a successful student will be able to:
Teaching on this unit will be diverse and include lectures, interactive seminars and collaborative practice-based sessions.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
The unit will be assessed by two submissions. The first is a written 1,000 word journal (40%) comprised of at least 3 separate entries and submitted towards the middle of the term. The second is a 2,000 word essay (60%) submitted at the end of the term.
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required. Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. HUMSM0013).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
