Class

6-Week Workshop: Decolonizing Poetry

Different cultures and communities have been colonized, subverted, and often removed from history to respond to the colonizer’s culture in diverse ways. In this seminar, we examine poetry and poets who’ve spoken from marginalized groups and made themselves seen through their writing. We will focus on studying global poetry informed by these voices and learning their original traditions and concerns. The White Man’s voice has dominated the poetic cannon for so long. This course reflects on the obsessions of the “othered” and their literary traditions, examining the forms and techniques they use to decolonize poetry. Our readings will span poetry and essays by writers like Agha Shahid Ali, Patricia Smith, Adrienne Rich, A.K. Ramanujan, Wole Soyinka, Eunice DeSouza, Noor Hindi, Angel Nafis, Yusef Komunyakaa, Aimee Nezkhukumatathil, and many others. We will occasionally respond to songs, visual art and other media.

Instructions for Accessing This Online Class

In order to access live class meetings, you must have the Zoom application downloaded to your computer. You will also need a WiFi/Internet connection throughout the duration of your scheduled meeting and a computer with audio and video capability. The information to join your Zoom classroom will be provided in your confirmation email upon registration. Please check spam folders if you do not see this email upon registration. For more information on how to use Zoom, please see our training manual here.

Some classes use a supplemental Google Classroom page. Should your teaching artist use Google Classroom, you will be invited to join the classroom via email at least 24 hours in advance of your class (check spam folders if you are not seeing this invitation). Please note that Google Classroom requires a Gmail address to access the Classroom. If you do not have a Gmail account, the email invitation will be sent to the email address we have on file and will prompt you to create a free account or enter an existing account to join the classroom. If we are unable to send an email invitation to your non-gmail account, you will be contacted by a staff member to provide a Gmail address. If you do not have a Gmail account, you can create a free account here. Should you have concerns about this, please contact a Loft staff member at [email protected] or 612-379-8999. For more information on how to use Google Classroom, please see our training manual here.