Africa and the African Diaspora
Overview
Three Intercultural Concentrations provide coherent interdisciplinary
structures through which students can explore issues of cultural diversity
and global interdependence focused on a specific region of the world:
Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.
A required seminar for each concentration integrates the study of
societies in these regions with an exploration of U.S. ethnic groups whose
cultural origins lie outside the borders of the United States.
Concentrators also examine the economic, political, and cultural
connections between these regions and the West. The "Africa and the
African Diaspora" concentration, for example, integrates studies of
African history and culture, the forced movement of African peoples to the
New World, and the consequences of slavery and post-slavery relations in
the United States.
Throughout history, African and African American peoples have played a
central role on the world's stage, and they continue to offer perspectives
critical to understanding the modern world. The "Africa and the African
Diaspora" concentration provides students with the opportunity to study
the ways in which Africans and peoples of African descent understand and
interpret their respective experiences and their interactions with other
cultures and traditions.
The Africa/African Diaspora experience has been most commonly
expressed and understood through its history, arts, religion, and
politics. As students explore the values and lifestyles deriving from
communities of African heritage, they gain a fuller understanding of the
significance of these communities' contributions to the larger world.
General Education Credit
Courses that fulfill General Education requirements are listed in the
Class and Lab Schedule.
Requirements for the Concentration
The concentration requires a minimum of five courses. The
interdisciplinary seminar
Intercultural Concentrations 231 is required of all students electing
this concentration. The remaining four courses are chosen in consultation
with the concentration coordinator. One course from an off-campus program
may be offered, as may one independent study.
Courses
Required intercultural Seminar
-
Intercultural 231 Africa and the Americas: The Diaspora
Experience
- Based upon courses from participating departments, the seminar introduces
students to the historical and cross-cultural experiences of Africans and
African Americans. It affords students the chance to engage in
interdisciplinary interpretation and analysis and encourages them to
interpret their own heritage in light of the African/African American
experience.
Elective Courses
Elective courses must be relevant to the focus of the concentration. For some
electives, students may be required to negotiate specific assignments with the
instructor and the concentration coordinator. Other courses not identified in
this list may also be acceptable, depending on the relevance of their content
to the concentration.
- American Racial and Multicultural Studies 121
- Introduction to American Racial and Multicultural Studies
- English 245
- Literature of the American Minorities
- English 247
- Post-Colonial and Third World Literatures
- English 284
- Black Drama
- English 385
- Topics in Minority Literature
- English 387
- Topics in Post-Colonial and Third World Literatures
- English 399
- Race in American Literature, 1830-1930
- History 134
- Slavery in the Americas
- History 145
- Civil Rights Revolution
- History 242
- Black American History
- History 244
- Civil War and Reconstruction
- History 275
- East Africa and the Horn in Historical Perspective
- History 276
- West Africa in Historical Perspective
- History 277
- South Africa in Historical Perspective
- History 345
- Women and Slavery
- History 365
- People and Production in South Africa
- Music 388
- Ethnic Music
- Paracollege Seminar
- Ideology and Thought in Southern African Literature
- Paracollege Seminar
- Farm and Forest: African Environmental History
- Religion 237
- The African American Religious Experience
- Sociology/ Anthropology 244
- Race and Class in American Culture
Interim
The following interim course will be offered in January 1997:
- English 284
- Theater as Political Action in South Africa (off-campus)
Faculty
The faculty of interdisciplinary programs are drawn from a variety of
departments. See faculty listing under department for individual degree
information.
Joan Hepburn (Coordinator)
Assistant Professor of English, 1987-
African American literature, drama
Michael Fitzgerald
Associate Professor of History, 1986-
American history, African American history
Joseph Mbele
Associate Professor of English, 1991-
Post-Colonial and Third World literature
Jamie Monson
Assistant Professor of History, 1991-
African history, environmental history
Mary Titus
Associate Professor of English, 1989-
American literature