What is African Studies?
Africana Studies is the critical, intellectual and representational expression of the history, culture and ideas of people of Africa and the African Diaspora, past and present. It is an interdisciplinary and transnational program of study that includes theoretical and methodological approaches reflective of the experience and intellectual traditions of Black people. It also includes studies of political and social movements such as Negritude, Garveyism, pan-Africanism, the Civil Rights Movement, De-colonization, Black Consciousness, Black Identities and Black Feminism.
Zora Neale Huston, Franz Fanon, Walter Rodney, CLR James, Dubois, Nkrumbah, Patricia Hill Collins, Angela Davis, Audre Lorde, Ama Ata Aidoo, Buchi Emecheta, Samir Amin and Oyeronke Oyewumi are amond the writers and intellectuals studied. Through courses in history, literature, psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, economics, religion and the creative arts, students examine the African world and the relationship between Africana people and the larger world system.
In order to ensure that students obtain a 'wide range of knowledge and analytical ability' (as stated in the catalog), it is strongly suggested that majors take two courses in each of the areas of history, humanities and the social sciences. At least six of the required eight courses for a major must be taken in the Africana Studies Department. The other two courses may be elected from related courses taken in other departments or at other schools. Minors, too, are encouraged to take courses that include the three major areas of study.
Both majors and minors are encouraged to begin with the introductory course-AFR 105. This course introduces students to Africana Studies in 'an interdisciplinary fashion,' typically utilizing a number of guest lecturers from various disciplines. For all majors and minors, at least three courses should be above the 100 level, and at least one should be above the 200 level. Non-majors are free to elect any course in the department.