This course studies cosmopolitanism, diaspora, displacement, and cultural hybridity in the context of the postcolonial and globalized 20th and 21st centuries. The displaced, and often dissident protagonist leaves "home" in search of cultural, political, or racial freedom abroad. This encounter often produces a deep contradiction in the identity and experience of the emigrant (Nella Larsen, Jean Rhys, Tsitsi Dangarembga). In the second part of the 20th century, the time of global flows, the cosmopolitan aspirations of the traveling modernist will change into the search for the survival of the contemporary migrant and the refugee, as authors Zadie Smith, Junot Diaz, Mohsin Hamid among others, portray in their work.
4
UnitsOptional
Grading1, 2, 3
PasstimeNone
Level LimitLetters and science
CollegeHer discussions are at times aimless and it is unclear what she expects from you until the very end. Final exam was ridiculously difficult and specific and was almost impossible to study for without rereading everything the night before.
Nowhere to submit assignments on Canvas, so don't forget to email them to her at a random, unclear due date.
Graded by final paper, final, and midterm. So much reading + the no lectures slides + only verbal lecture + thick accent + no canvas posts is a deadly combo if you're not very English-minded. I suggest you go to the lecture even though it isn't mandatory because most of the information/terms/prompts on the exams will come from there.
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Lectures are ok but what makes her class so infuriating is that there is zero online correspondence. The responses everyone does are on different days and she only tells you your assigned days once at the beginning of the quarter. Idk why she doesn't use Canvas for an online class but it makes the class much less enjoyable.
Boscagli was very accessible in uploading her lectures online which was nice. She would sometimes emphasize a word that she would repeat and say would be a huge part of the test, but then not spell it out or have it written anywhere for us to read which was frustrating. Tests were all written. Essays are also required.