LITR 161 - Native American Literature | GEUS or GEKH

LITR 161 will study the oral and written literature’s of Native American cultures, with emphasis upon the authored memoirs, essays, fiction, poetry and film of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Students will read and become familiar with a range of oral traditional and 19th, 20th and 21st-century texts by Native American writers from a variety of Native North American cultures, and they should be able to identify continuities between oral traditional and contemporary Native texts. Texts studied will be examined within their cultural and historical contexts. This course will promote an understanding of traditional Native worldviews, in conjunction with an awareness of the ways in which the ongoing legacy of colonialism and contact with other cultures have impacted Native peoples, and it will explore current debates and issues in the field of Native American studies. Through their exposure to Native literatures, students should become more sensitive to and understanding of other cultures. They should also be aware of their own cultural views and the impact that those views have on other cultures. Students should more readily recognize stereotypes about Native Americans and other groups of peoples. In general, they should become better world citizens through their development of critical thinking skills about cross-cultural issues. Students will be encouraged to make connections to the local Native American community by attending PowWows and other available events. Through their studies, students will gain an appreciation of the rich diversity, strength, and beauty in Native cultures and literary traditions.

LITR 161 will study the oral and written literatures of Native American cultures, with emphasis on the authored memoirs, essays, fiction, poetry and film of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Students will read and become familiar with a range of oral traditional and 19th,m 20th and 21st-century texts by Native American writers from a variety of Native North American cultures, and they should be able to identify continuities between oral traditional and contemporary Native texts. Texts studied will be examined within their cultural and historical contexts. This course will promote an understanding of traditional Native worldviews, in conjunction with an awareness of the ways in which the ongoing legacy of colonialism and contact with other cultures have impacted Native peoples, and it will explore current debates and issues in the field of Native American studies. Through their exposure to Native literatures, students should become more sensitive to, and understanding of other cultures. They should also be aware of their own cultural views and the impact that those views have on other cultures. Students should more readily recognize stereotypes about Native Americans and other groups of peoples. In general, they should become better world citizens through their development of critical thinking skills about cross-cultural issues. Students will be encouraged to make connections to the local Native American community by attending PowWows and other available events. Through their studies, students will gain an appreciation of the rich diversity, strength, and beauty in Native cultures and literary traditions.

Winter 2025 Course Sections

Summer 2025 Course Sections

Fall 2025 Course Sections