Gumbo Ya-Ya: African American Culture and the Art of Dwelling

This seminar explores the concept of dwelling (in the sense of inhabiting the earth) in relation to African American culture, inherently defined by the primacy of community. On the one hand, it investigates how race/ethnicity- and class-based marginalization constrains access to adequate housing and an array of educational and economic opportunities. On the other hand, it investigates how black people have been able to transcend such marginalization to carve out unique physical and spiritual dwelling places. The goal is to stimulate creative thinking about inhabiting the earth in an era of calling for extraordinary social and environmental resiliency.