Examines the meanings of Blackness as it moves through the Atlantic world from 18th century to present. Readings explore theories of race and representation, and ways that translation conveys, shapes, and disrupts ideas about Blackness as cultural identity, lived experience, political claim. Course materials include works of literature, history, anthropology, and film. Taught in English, though, students enrolled under foreign language discussion sections will do reading, writing, research, and discussion in the language, requiring 2 years of foreign language study for language credit for the major or minor.