230444 Native Americans in Literature and Film (S) (SoSe 2024)

Representing the dynamics of contemporary multi-ethnic communities is a complex task for anyone who attempts it. Besides the politics of racial and ethnic representation dictated in society, we must also consider individual definitions of cultural constructs, which only gain meaning through human interaction. This course aims at mapping out a theoretical discussion around the literary and filmic representations of Native Americans over the last decades. We will engage in an analysis of cultural representation in several literary texts by Leslie Silko, Sherman Alexie, and N. Scott Momaday, as well as in recent cinematic productions revolving around the topic of Native Americans, such as Killers of the Flower Moon and the fourth season of True Detective. The questions I am mostly interested in here are: Who speaks? What is being represented? Which cultural elements are in focus?
Consequently, this course is designed to deepen and consolidate students' literary analysis skills as well as introduce them to the basics of film analysis, thus learning to critically use key terms and methods in the analysis of thought-provoking U.S. American literary and cultural productions.