For a continent often referred to as “the motherland”, women have long played a pivotal role. Explore images of women in Francophone, Lusophone and Anglophone African literature and film. These portrayals cross time and place but our story begins with the traditional “Mother Africa” figure that appears in colonial poetry from Portuguese-speaking regions. Next, examine historical figures such as Nzinga, who fought against European colonialists and was later involved in the slave trade. Then, meet more recent figures from books portraying inter-racial relationships in post-colonial, African Islamic societies and women in polygamous families. Presented by Professor Bonnie Wasserman of the Africana Studies Program as part of Humanities Week.
Raising hell and blazing trails are both on the agenda for Humanities Week, October 13-17, 2014, presented by the College of Humanities. Meet famous and infamous groundbreakers of the past and delve into a world where gender boundaries are broken and cultural connections are made during the weeklong series of free events. All Humanities Week events are free and open to the public and most are held in the Dorothy Rubel Room at the University of Arizona Poetry Center, 1508 E. Helen Street, unless otherwise noted. For more detailed descriptions of the lectures, please visit hw.arizona.edu or call (520) 621-0210.
The College of Humanities is home to programs devoted to the study of the world’s languages, literatures, and cultures. The college consists of 13 individual units as well as several other academic and overseas-study programs.