An Introduction to Black British Literature, is for anyone wanting to explore some important Black British fiction writers, from ER Braithwaite, Buchi Emecheta, Andrea Levy, and Zadie Smith through to Jackie Kay and Alex Wheatle. We’ll discuss some of the history and context of Black British Literature and read some texts together.

We will think critically about the writing, who the writing is for and ask in what ways the work reclaims narratives. For example, Bernardine Evaristo’s ‘The Emperor’s Babe’ published in 2001 tells the tale of Zuleika, the daughter of Sudanese immigrants, in Roman London. Evaristo uses the book to reshape traditional versions of British history from a Black girl's point of view while addressing the sexist structures of society in both Roman times and present-day Britain.

Free.