AFRAM 498 A: Special Topics in African American Studies

"BLAXPLOITATION FILM" CRITICAL APPROACHES TO RACE AND GENDER IN BLAXPLOITATION FILM. THIS COURSE WILL CRITICALLY EXPLORE 1970S FILMS LABELED AS "BLAXPLOITATION". IN ADDITION TO EXTRACURRICULAR SCREENINGS, STUDENT WILL BE REQUIRED TO READ CRITICAL ESSAYS THAT: 1) HISTORICIZE BLACK FILM DURING THE 20TH CENTURY; 2) ASSESS THE MOTIVATIONS AND INTENTIONS OF HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS AND CONTENT CREATORS; 3) ANALYZE THE SYMBOLISM EMBEDDED IN SCRIPTS AND CHARACTERS' REPRESENTATIONS; AND 4) INTERROGATE HOW THE GENRE CONVEYS MEANINGS AROUND GENDER, QUEERNESS, AND RACE.