SHUM 6356

Rhetoric of Social Movements

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2021-2022.

The recent deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor sparked a global protest movement for social justice and against police brutality. Beyond the US, these events also fostered a stronger sense of agency among social movements in the Black Atlantic (Africa and the Diaspora) many of which are demanding more accountability from power establishments, the dismantling of systemic racism and colonial legacies as well as the implementation of antiracist policies. How do these movements come into existence? What challenges are they facing? How do they impact the societies in which they evolve? How do social movements mobilize resources for mass action? This course examines the causes of the rise of contemporary social insurgencies in the Black Atlantic and their effects in the sociopolitical environments. It also explores the tools social activists use to confront the power establishment, such as music, social media and street protests. In addition to providing a deep analysis of social movement theories, this course will examine the intersections of age, class, gender, race, gender through several case studies from various countries, including #BLM in the United States, #FeesMustFall in South Africa, #RhodesMustFall in Britain, and Y en a marre in Senegal.

When Offered Spring.

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