[CLEN W3930] Caribbean Diaspora Literature
- Departments: <a href="/departments/3">African American Studies</a> and <a href="/departments/10">English and Comparative Literature</a>
- Professors: Patricia Lespinasse and Frances Negron-Muntaner
Chill. So chill. I mean, don't take advantage of it or anything, but her class was like a book club where you could say anything you damn well pleased, inane or brilliant. Her approach was fairly hands-off: each week a different student gave a short presentation on the book, and then basically led discussion for the rest of the two hours. In theory a good tactic for a seminar, although in execution you often feel cheated, either because no one read the book and won't answer any questions, leaving the presenter flailing with no rescue from Lespinasse, or simply because the presenter is giving a half-assed take on the novel and the professor refuses to pipe up. Her actual lectures, which she deigned to start off the first few classes with, were quite interesting - it's a shame she trusts us to carry the class, because we usually couldn't. But she's quite nice, overall, and again: chill as hell.
Workload:
A (sometimes quite long) book a week paired with a page-long informal response, one non-research paper under ten pages, and a fairly long take-home final.
January 21, 2006
Negron-Muntaner, Frances 
[CLEN W3930] Caribbean Diaspora Literature
Please keep in mind that this review is more than 5 years old.
She is amazing! She can seem pretty intimidating at first but she is very laidback. She is very informative but also sparks great conversation. The work is not incredibly hard but make sure to do the reading.
Workload:
Usually a midterm, a big paper and a final
July 05, 2005
Negron-Muntaner, Frances
[CLEN W3930] Caribbean Diaspora Literature
Please keep in mind that this review is more than 5 years old.
It is true !!! Prof. Negron is the best Columbia has to offer. This is one of the few classes in which I felt that the money I paid was all worthed. She is everything one can expect from a Prof. at an Ivy league institution. If you can, take a class with her, she is worth the money , the time and the effort to read and go to class every day. The lady is just great.!!
Workload:
The same amount as in any other class- do the reading-take notes and participate in class and you will be fine!!
October 29, 2004
Negron-Muntaner, Frances
[CLEN W3930] Caribbean Diaspora Literature
Please keep in mind that this review is more than 5 years old.
I loved this professor and the class. She is engaging and keeps the class moving. While there is a large amount of reading, it never felt like a burden. (OK, well, sometimes, but I still did it) She is easy to talk to and interested to hear what the students have to say.
Workload:
Fairly intense: extra-large course packet, a list of at least 6 or 7 other books/novels. Class participation, show up(she takes attendance) and at least one in-class presentation. One take home midterm(not too bad), a 12-15 page term paper, and a final.
Directory Data
| Dept/Subj | Directory Course | Professor | Year | Semester | Time | Section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARAF / AFAS | ARAF AFAS C3930: Topics in the Black Experience: Caribbean Diaspora Literature | Patricia Lespinasse, Farah Griffin | 2010 | Fall | W / 11:00-12:50 PM | 4 |
| ENCL / CLEN | ENCL CLEN W3930: Caribbean Diaspora Literature | Frances Negron-Muntaner | 2006 | Spring | M / 11:00-12:50 PM | 1 |