EGL 119 - Decolonial Poetries

Course Units: 1

In this course we’ll read and critically engage with contemporary poets writing predominantly in English from a decolonial perspective. From the intersection of poetics, aesthetics, decolonial (and anti-colonial) theory, and social justice in the arts, we will explore what a poetics of reading and writing decoloniality entails. By centering our exploration on poets who write from ongoing colonial experiences, we’ll build an understanding of the work of poetry in decolonial imaginings. We will explore how decolonial poetic practices work against racism, colonialism, and other contemporary systems of oppression, and consider how decolonial poets respond to and engage with these systems both overtly and through their aesthetics. Students will develop an understanding of both traditional and experimental poetics, along with decolonial theories.

100-level courses opne to all students.