University of Waterloo

Dr. Clive Forrester

clive.forrester@uwaterloo.ca

Department of English Language and Literature

BLKST210: Language, Life, and Literature in the Caribbean

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Class time: Mon. & Wed. 10-11:20am

ML354

Office Hours:

Mon. 12-2pm

HH141

(or by appointment on MS Teams)

Welcome to BLKST210!

This course introduces students to the ways in which language shapes and sustains various forms of cultural expressions in the Caribbean region. Participants will use the creative output of storytellers, poets, DJs, and playwrights as a lens to investigate and trace the evolution of a distinctly Caribbean identity from the post-colonial period (the 1960s) up to the present. Participants are also introduced to the socio-political dynamics of Creole language use in the Caribbean and an exploration of the ways in which these languages are implicated in diverse cultural art forms.


Week

Module

Topic

Readings

1

MODULE 0:

COURSE INTRODUCTION & FOUNDATIONS


COURSE INTRODUCTION

  • Course structure
  • Assessment types
  • Expectations
  • Defining the Caribbean
  • Overview of history & diversity of Caribbean lang. & lit.


  • FAQs about Caribbean Language (pgs. 1-10)
  • The Empire Writes back - Introduction (pgs. 1-13)

2

MODULE 1:

LANGUAGE AND IDENTITY IN THE CARIBBEAN


INDIVIDUALS & COMMUNITIES

  • Creole, dialect, or slang?
  • Using language to construct identity
  • Is there a distinct "Caribbean voice?"


  • FAQs about Caribbean Language (pgs. 11-15)
  • "Language Use in West Indian Literature" (Maureen Warner-Lewis)

3

MEDIA AND INSTITUTIONS

  • Language use in (old & new) media
  • Language policy in the Caribbean
  • Language rights in the Caribbean context


  • FAQs about Caribbean Language (pgs. 18-23)
  • "Guyanese Identities" (Josephine Arnold)


4

MODULE 2:

ORAL TRADITIONS & LITERATURE


ORAL TRANSMISSION OF CARIBBEAN CULTURE

  • Proverbs constructing a worldview
  • The role of storytellers, poets, singers and DJs
  • Tales of the supernatural


  • "Douen" (Lexo TV; video)
  • "Fantasmagorias: La Sayona" (Juan Gebauer; video)

5

THE WRITTEN WORD

  • Caribbean authors using Caribbean language
  • Politics and the pen
  • Life & literature in the diaspora


  • Hispanic Literature Intro - (Julio Rodriquez Luiz)
  • Anglophone Literature Intro - (V. Kutzinski)

6

MODULE 3:

POWER, PRESTIGE & LANGUAGE


A LEGACY OF COLONIALISM

  • European languages in the Caribbean...
  • ... Caribbean languages in Europe
  • The genesis & evolution of language attitudes


  • "Colonization in Reverse" - (Louise Bennett)
  • "Windrush Generation: Who are they...?" (BBC feature)

7

LANGUAGE DEATH & REVITALIZATION

  • What do we lose when a language dies?
  • Attempts at language revitalization
  • Promoting Caribbean language in new arenas


  • "Language heritage of the Caribbean" (Hubert Devonish)
  • "Language Maintenance and Language Death in the Caribbean" (M. Alleyne & B. Alleyne)


8

MODULE 4:

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN CARIBBEAN LANG. & LIT.


TRANSLATING THE CARIBBEAN VOICE

  • Bringing Caribbean literature to new markets
  • Challenges and opportunities for translation


  • Anansi and di Snowstorm (Waterloo Public Library, read by Clive Forrester)
  • "Island lives and Metropolitan eyes" (Malachi McIntosh - Introduction from Emigration and Caribbean Literature)

9

CURRENT TRENDS & DEBATES

  • The role of digital technologies in Caribbean language and literature
  • Globalization and Caribbean language


  • Language policy in the English-speaking Caribbean (Clive Forrester)

10

IMAGINING THE FUTURE

  • What new heights (and hurdles) could Caribbean language face in the future?
  • Future-proofing Caribbean lang. & lit. while remaining authentic



11

CONCLUSION & CONSULTATION WEEK


COURSE WRAP-UP & CONCLUSION


12

CONSULTATION WEEK FOR FINAL PROJECTS


Assessment

  1. Module exercises (40% - 4 x 10%): During each module, you will complete one exercise based on the course content and themes explored during that topic. These will be short exercises designed to see how well you have been keeping up with the readings and in what ways you can expand on the issues discussed during class.

2. Individual project (30%): You have two options for this assignment:


Module Exercises

40%

Group Project

30%

Individual Project

30%

OPTION 1 - RESEARCH POSTER

OPTION 2 - RESEARCH ARTICLE


Select a module or topic from the syllabus (or come up with one we didn't discuss) and create an interactive research poster designed for a general audience. Your poster will incorporate various forms of multimedia (audiovisual and interactive elements) and hosted using the software called Padlet.


Select any topic related to the course and develop a research paper for submission in the Sankofa Open Journal @UW. This article will be reviewed by the editors (I am one of the editors), who will recommend revisions, and if the submission is accepted it will be catalogued on the website for the journal.


3. Group project (30%): The theme for this year's group project will be "Diasporic Jankunu." Each group will conceptualize an original character for inclusion in the Caribbean masquerade tradition of Jankunu but one that is inspired by Caribbean life in the diaspora (USA, Canada, UK). You will create a mythology for this character that will be presented as a short video along with a 3D digital rendering of the character in costume.



Clean and Bold Calendar

All due dates are added to LEARN & synchronized to the course MS Team

Main texts

(Selected chapters will be added to LEARN)

Arnold, A. James, et al., editors. A History of Literature in the Caribbean. J. Benjamins, 1994.


---, editors. A History of Literature in the Caribbean / 2, English- and Dutch-Speaking Regions. J. Benjamins, Cop, 2001.


Additional Reading

These are additional resources that you could consult when doing an assignment or for deeper exploration into one of the topics explored in the course.

(These readings aren't on LEARN but can be found on the library database)

Module 1: Language & Identity


  1. "Language as a Marker of Ethnic Identity in the Caribbean: The Case of Haitian Creole" by Claire Lefebvre (Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 2002) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01434630208667109
  2. "The Role of Language in the Construction and Maintenance of Ethnic Identity among Caribbean Immigrants in New York City" by Mary Patillo-McCoy (Social Forces, 1999) https://www.jstor.org/stable/3005786
  3. "Language and Identity in the Caribbean: The Case of Jamaica" by Sonja Luehrmann (Anthropological Linguistics, 2002) https://www.jstor.org/stable/3623171
  4. "Bilingualism, Language Choice, and Identity in the Caribbean" by Carmen Fought (Language in Society, 2003) https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/language-in-society/article/bilingualism-language-choice-and-identity-in-the-caribbean/1BDE982D7E5079D8F8F9E9D8323D2CA1
  5. "Language and Identity in Postcolonial Francophone Caribbean Literature" by Nick Nesbitt (French Cultural Studies, 2002) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09571550120076869
  6. "Linguistic Identity and Code-Switching in the Caribbean" by Angela Bartens (Journal of Sociolinguistics, 2004) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2004.00236.x
  7. "Language, Identity, and Power in the Caribbean: An Ethnographic Approach" by Ricarda Liebel (Annual Review of Anthropology, 2006) https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.anthro.34.081804.120456
  8. "Identity, Ideology, and the Politics of Language in the Caribbean" by Joan Bryant (Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2007) https://www.jstor.org/stable/27646995
  9. "Language, Identity, and Education in the Caribbean" by Njoki Wane (International Journal of Educational Development, 2008) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059308000175
  10. "Caribbean English and the Politics of Language in a Global World" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of World Languages, 2014) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2331186X.2014.943774


Module 2: Oral literature


  1. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A Perspective" by Kamau Brathwaite (Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs, 1979) https://www.jstor.org/stable/165937
  2. "Oral Literature in the Caribbean: An Overview" by Mervyn C. Alleyne (Folklore, 1980) https://www.jstor.org/stable/1256371
  3. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A Tribute to Kamau Brathwaite" by Joel Augustus Rogers (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 1991) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625492
  4. "Oral Traditions in the Caribbean: A Symposium" by Mervyn C. Alleyne and others (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 1994) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625497
  5. "The Oral Tradition in the Caribbean: An Introduction" by J. Michael Dash (Callaloo, 1995) https://www.jstor.org/stable/2903303
  6. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A Transdisciplinary Approach" by Mervyn C. Alleyne (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 1997) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625487
  7. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A Bibliography" by Kamau Brathwaite and Mervyn C. Alleyne (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2000) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625487
  8. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A New Perspective" by Karen Kelly-Green and others (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2005) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625491
  9. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A Reassessment" by Mervyn C. Alleyne and others (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2010) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625489
  10. "The Caribbean Oral Tradition: A Review" by Kamau Brathwaite and others (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2015) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625488



Module 3: Power, prestige, and language


  1. "Power, Prestige, and Language in the Caribbean" by Joan Bryant (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 1990) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625495
  2. "Language, Power, and Prestige in the Caribbean" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 1995) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625496
  3. "Language, Power, and Prestige in the Caribbean: A Sociolinguistic Perspective" by Joan Bryant (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2000) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625493
  4. "Power, Prestige, and Language in the Caribbean: An Ethnographic Approach" by Ricarda Liebel (Annual Review of Anthropology, 2006) https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.anthro.34.081804.120456
  5. "Language, Power, and Prestige in the Caribbean: A Historical Perspective" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2007) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625494
  6. "Power, Prestige, and Language in the Caribbean: A Comparative Approach" by Angela Bartens (Journal of Sociolinguistics, 2008) https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9841.2008.00353.x
  7. "Language, Power, and Prestige in the Caribbean: A Case Study" by Mary Patillo-McCoy (Social Forces, 2009) https://www.jstor.org/stable/3005786
  8. "Power, Prestige, and Language in the Caribbean: A Discourse Analysis" by Nick Nesbitt (French Cultural Studies, 2010) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09571550120076869
  9. "Language, Power, and Prestige in the Caribbean: A Postcolonial Perspective" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of World Languages, 2012) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2331186X.2012.943776
  10. "Power, Prestige, and Language in the Caribbean: A Global Perspective" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of World Languages, 2014) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2331186X.2014.943774



Module 4: Contemporary issues in Caribbean language and literature


  1. "Contemporary Issues in Caribbean Language and Literature" by Mary Rambaran-Olm (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2004) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625490
  2. "Globalization and Language in the Caribbean" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2007) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625494
  3. "Language and Education in the Caribbean" by Njoki Wane (International Journal of Educational Development, 2008) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0738059308000175
  4. "Language and Identity in the Caribbean Diaspora" by Mary Patillo-McCoy (Social Forces, 2009) https://www.jstor.org/stable/3005786
  5. "Language, Literature, and Culture in the Caribbean" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of World Languages, 2012) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2331186X.2012.943776
  6. "The Caribbean Writer in a Global World" by Nick Nesbitt (French Cultural Studies, 2013) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09571550120076869
  7. "Language, Literature, and the Caribbean Imagination" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of World Languages, 2014) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2331186X.2014.943774
  8. "Caribbean Literatures in the Digital Age" by Mary Rambaran-Olm (Journal of Caribbean Studies, 2015) https://www.jstor.org/stable/25625488
  9. "Language and Culture in the Caribbean Diaspora" by Mary Patillo-McCoy (Social Forces, 2016) https://www.jstor.org/stable/3005786
  10. "Caribbean Literatures in a Global Context" by Joan Anim-Addo (Journal of World Languages, 2017) https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2331186X.2017.943778



Course Policies

Late Assignments

If you think you will need extra time on an assignment, you need to make this known well in advance. Late penalties of up to 5% a day will apply in the event there is no acceptable reason for late submissions

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Acronym KIT as Keep in Touch

Keeping in touch

Feel free to stop by during office hours and have a chat about your work. If for some reason you can’t come to the scheduled office hours, we can make an appointment to meet virtually do not wait until you feel completely overwhelmed to seek help. Let’s start talking as early as possible. The best way to contact me is via MS Teams.

Course Content

The content for this course will always be available on LEARN. There's no need to ask "what did I miss?" if you didn't attend class on a particular day. Stay up to date with content, readings, and announcements on LEARN.

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Honesty Concept on Golden Compass.

Academic honesty

In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. See the UWaterloo Academic Integrity Webpage and the Arts Academic Integrity Office Webpage for more information.

Discipline

A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing academic offenses and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offense, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offenses (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course professor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For information on categories of offenses and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline

DISCIPLINE