In this course, we look out at the world from a Caribbean center. As such, we approach the history and formation of the region and its cultural diversity from a bottom-up view. This helps to better understand the various cultural processes of mixture, pluralism and engagement that came together to produce the Caribbean as a complex multicultural space today. Central mechanisms of “difference-making” in the colonial past and into the present such as racial hierarchy, shadism/colorism, ethnic groups, religious difference, class inequality, gender power, and sexuality are discussed to better appreciate the ways different groups in the Caribbean emerged and developed. The pitfalls and significance of the term “post-colonialism” is also examined.
- Teacher: Mamyrah Douge-Prosper