Module manager: Dr Dhanveer Singh Brar
Email: D.S.Brar@Leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
Black British Cultural Studies: HIST3370
This module is not approved as a discovery module
In this module, you will study the work of Gil Scott-Heron, an African American popular musician, poet, novelist and political activist who shaped the post-Civil Rights/Black Power era. <p>Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.</p>
The aim of this module is for you to closely study the entire body of work generated by Gil Scott-Heron from the 1970 through to his death in 2011. This includes popular music albums, concert footage, two novels, various collections of poetry, a memoir, and his activities as a political organiser. Scott-Heron was a major African American artist who came to shape the discourse and knowledge of black life and politics in the post-Civil Rights/Black Power era. Through close study of his work as a musician, performer, writer and activist, it is possible to track the ways in which the aftermath of Civil Rights and Black Power were understood and expressed at the end of the twentieth century.
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Demonstrate critical intimacy with the body of work of a major late-twentieth century African American artist
2. Effectively analyse and evaluate the changes in African American consciousness in the post-Civil Rights/Black Power era.
3. Evaluate with insight the historical relationship between aesthetic form and political ideology in post-Civil Rights/Black Power America.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module you will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Critically analyse and contextualise a range of artistic materials and primary sources.
5. Effectively engage with and evaluate academic literature on the post-Civil Rights/Black Power era.
6. Critically discuss the relationship between aesthetics and politics in African American history.
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Workshop | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Supervision | 2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Seminar | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Private study hours | 355.6 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 44.4 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 400 | ||
For the word essay: written feedback on annotated plan + 15-minute tutorial
For presentation: written feedback on annotated plan + 15-minute tutorial
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 50 |
| Coursework | Presentation | 50 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list
Last updated: 28/04/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team