Drawing from the Margins: Studying Indigenous Representation in Comics

Class Description

This course examines the key themes, trends, ideas, and concerns within the contemporary production and reception of Indigenous People of North America in comics (comic books, comic strips, graphic novels, etc.). We will explore themes including, but not limited to disability, gender, nationalism, policing, race, and sexuality through the lens of North American Indigenous groups and the role of comics in the creation of these narratives.

For the final class, participants will have the option to reimagine an Indigenous narrative through research at the Newberry and present their work to the class.

Damien J. Rodriguez is a professor at DePaul University. His educational background is in History and English with a focus on Women and Gender Studies. His MA thesis explored how comic book heroines, and their female readers disrupt traditional concepts of gender in comics. He currently teaches a course on marginalized identities in comic books. 

Materials List

Required

• Jim Terry, Come Home, Indio. Street Noise Books, 2020. ISBN: 978-951491-04-8
• Other Instructor-Distributed Materials

First Reading

• Excerpt from Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert and Scott Mckowen, 2010
• Native Americans in Comic Books: A Critical Study, Chapter 1: “The Mohican Syndrome and Super ‘Wannabes’: Aint Nothin Like the Real Thing” by Michael A. Sheyahshe, 2008.

A Brief Syllabus

1. Introduction – Comic Books, A Hybrid Language
2. Race, Reconciliation, and Resistance
3. Wrap Up & Optional Final Project

Cost and Registration

3 sessions, $150 ($135 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.

We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($150), Community Supported ($140), and Sponsor ($160). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.

To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.

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Call us at (312) 255-3700 or send us an email at adulteducation@newberry.org.

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