Poetics of Relation: August Wilson and Pittsburgh’s Hill District is an examination of the relationship the playwright August Wilson has, through his work, with the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and by extension, African American culture. The course begins with a study of the first play, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, in what is commonly referred to as The Pittsburgh Cycle. (This play is not, however, set in Pittsburgh.) In-depth coverage of the other nine plays, all set in the Hill District, follows. In addition to the plays, students will read most of the published ancillary material—essays, major reviews, etc., penned by Wilson and others that relate to the Pittsburgh Cycle. Audio-visual material includes two of the plays and the PBS American Masters documentary on Wilson. Coverage of these materials is intended to lead to an understanding of how and why this American playwright centered his work in a particular space about a specific group of people, and the effects and consequences of such decisions. Students will add material from the course to the Poetics of Relation digital site.