Black Horror
Eugene Lang College Lib Arts: Culture and Media
CRN: 13611
Credits: 4
We are living through a renaissance of Black Horror and we can see examples of this in the smart, genre films of Jordan Peele, the uncanny surrealism of TV shows like Atlanta, and the resurgence of race in weird fiction like Lovecraft Country. This course explores the phenomena of Black Horror, understood as a subset of the horror genre across media platforms that looks at the intersections of an experience of Blackness with themes and tropes from horror media. This course looks beyond the experience of Blackness in an anti-Black world as an allegory of horror to consider what Black Horror can teach us about ourselves through readings on media, culture, and economy, and how it might deepen our understanding of how the horror genre reflects the uncanny borders of life and death, difference and sameness, haunting and trauma. The course will pay special attention to the role of time and temporality in Black Horror. We will ask why Black Horror has become popular at this historical moment and how historical and cultural trends, ranging from Blaxploitation to Folk Horror have influenced this emerging genre. While emphasis will be placed on media from the 1970s to today, some exploration of the history of race and horror will be undertaken. Readings will include Toni Morrison, Michael Gillespie, Fred Moten, Robin Means Coleman, Octavia Butler, and others. [Tracks C, M, S]
College: Eugene Lang College Lib Arts (LC)
Department: Culture and Media (LCST)
Campus: New York City (GV)
Course Format: Seminar (R)
Modality: In-Person
Max Enrollment: 20
Add/Drop Deadline: February 5, 2023 (Sunday)
Online Withdrawal Deadline: April 16, 2023 (Sunday)
Seats Available: Yes
* Seats available but reserved for a specific population.
Status: Closed*
* Status information is updated every few minutes. The status of this course may have changed since the last update. Open seats may have restrictions that will prevent some students from registering. Updated: 5:38am EDT 5/29/2023