105. Introduction to African Studies. (4).
(SS).
This course presents a broad overview of epochal moments in African
history and societies, from the pre-colonial eras, and from the
colonial kingdoms and acephalous (decentralized, "tribes
without leaders") societies will be examined in terms of their internal dynamics as well as in their interaction with outside
forces, especially with the Arab world and Western Europe. This
is an approach that will therefore highlight dominant characteristics
of African societies in contexts provided by indigenous Islamic, and Western contributions. Students will be provided with an introduction
to African politics and economics as well as to the continent's
many cultures and cosmologies, religions and philosophies. Other themes to be discussed include the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
(seen as an instance when a "labor imperative" determined the relations between African and the West); the "territorial
phase" which imperialism and colonialism represented; and the difficulties associated with Africa's current post colonial
"market and energy" phase. (Omer)
231/Hist. 275. Survey of
Afro-American History II. (3). (SS).
This course, in the most general terms, is a study of the history
and culture of African Americans since the Civil War. We will
be particularly concerned with internal community development, including class and gender dynamics within Black communities, exploring the various ideological developments in late nineteenth
and twentieth century African American communities, and understanding the ways in which African American, by their own thoughts and actions, shaped their own lives and history in the United States
and forged and nurtured their own culture – even though they
had to do this against a background of racial, social, and economic
exploitation. Grading: Midterm exam, final exam, 8-10 page paper;
class participation will be a significant portion of the grade.
(Barkley Brown)
448/Hist. 448. Africa in the Twentieth Century. (4).
(Excl).
See History 448. (Atkins)
418/Pol..Sci. 419. Black Americans and the Political
System. Two courses in political science or permission
of instructor. (3). (Excl).
See Political Science 419.
(Dawson)
449/Pol. Sci. 459. Africa: Development and Dependence.
Prior or concurrent study of the Third World; Pol.
Sci. 465 is recommended but not required. (3). (Excl).
See Political Science 459.
(Twumasi)
108/Hist. of Art 108. Introduction to African Art.
(3). (Excl).
See History of Art 108.
(Quarcoopome)
338/English 320. Literature in Afro-American Culture. (3). (HU). May be repeated for a total of 6 credits.
See English 320.001. (Chrisman)
341/Theatre 222. Introduction to Black Theatre. (3).
(HU).
See Theatre and Drama 222.
(Jackson)
342/Theatre 233. Acting and the Black Experience. Permission
of instructor (brief interview). (3). (HU).
See Theatre and Drama 233.
(Jackson)
361. Comparative Black Art. CAAS 360.
(3). (Excl).
This course is a continuation of AAS 360, an accelerated course
which provides an interdisciplinary overview of Afro-American
culture and art. CAAS 361 develops further information and dialogue
for a closer examination of the interrelationship of the arts, and of how they influence and are influenced by society. The approach
continues to be interdisciplinary, and Afrocentric. The Afro-American
cultural experience and its various forms of existence and encounters
are brought under close scrutiny in a variety of contexts: these
will range from the historical and political to the philosophical, the religious, and the aesthetic. In the process, this course
also examines the relationship of West African cultures to both
South and North American insistencies. The course also recognizes
and will examine the controversies surrounding the impact of the
Afrocentric aesthetic on Western culture and lifestyles. Slides, films, and guest appearances will supplement lectures. But this
course is also designed to be interactive and communal and to
create opportunities for students to strengthen their skills and establish a clearer, more substantial concept of identity, focus
and direction.WL:4 (Lockard)
400/MHM 457. The Music of Black Americans. Music
background preferred. (3). (Excl).
See MHM 457. (McDaniel)
440/Film-Video 440. African
Cinema. (3). (Excl).
This course will provide a critical and interdisciplinary look
at the development of African cinema from its inception in the
1960's to the present. In looking at this period, we will move
from the sociopolitical upheavals of late colonialism to the recent
phase of introspection and diversification. The relationship of
cinematic practices to transformations in the social and economic
sphere will be examined, as well as the creation of distinctively
African film styles based on oral traditions. In pursuing these
topics, we will consider the impact of technology, history and culture, ties to the cinema of other developing nations, and co-productions.
The films to be screened include: Halfaquine (Tunisia), Baadis
(Morocco), Angano...Angano (Madagascar), Faces of Women (Cote
d'Ivoire), Xala (Senegal), Harvest: 3,000 Years (Ethiopia), and Yaaba (Burkina Faso). Written assignments, midterm and final paper
are required. WL:4 (Ukadike)
475/English 477. Early Afro-American Literature. Permission
of instructor. (3). (Excl).
See English 477. (Gunning)
Individual Behavior, Cultural Systems, and Social Organization
326. The Black American Family. (3). (SS).
In this course theoretical and empirical approaches to the study
of African American families are explored and critiqued. We will
examine the structural features of these families in today's American
society and assess the role of historic, economic, and other systemic
factors as determinants of such structures. Attention will be
given to interactional patterns in African American families with the aim of identifying models that account for their strengths
and resilience. Finally, current topical issues affecting the
African families, such as, teenage pregnancies, drug abuse, and welfare dependancy will be addressed. [WL:4]
335/Religion 310. Religion in the Afro-American Experience.
(3). (HU).
See Religion 310. (Miles)
358(458). Topics in Black
World Studies. (3). (Excl). May be elected for a
total of 6 credits.
Section 001: From Bebop to Hip Hop: African-Americans and Popular
Culture Since 1945. Through an examination of popular music, dance, language, dress and hair styles, film and television, we
will critically reassess the relationship between Black politics
and cultural forms emerging from within African-American
communities, the commodification of those forms, and the representation
of the African-American image in the mass media. Our primary goal
is to explore the extent to which African-American cultural practice – particularly
youth subcultures – are oppositional. Beginning with postwar jazz
and its accompanying "hipster" subculture, we will explore, among other things, the African-American origins of rock and roll, the meaning of Black culture for a new generation of emergent
white artists, the development of blaxploitation films, the shifting
ideological meanings of hair and dress styles, the history of
Soul, disco, and hip hop music in relation to contemporary social
and political transformations, and the broader impact that Black
working-class creativity has had on mass-mediated popular culture
in the U.S. WL:4 (Kelley)
Section 002. Social Science and the African American Experience. For Winter Term, 1992, this course is jointly offered with History 396.002. (Barkley Brown)
422/Anthro. 411. African Culture. Junior
standing or permission of instructor. (3). (Excl).
See Anthropology 411. (Owusu)
452. Education of the Black Child. (3).
(Excl).
This course deals with overlooked but crucial questions related
to the education of Black children in the United States. The area
of primary concern will be public schooling, and the emphasis
will be laid on analyzing the social, cultural, political and economic forces which act to influence the learning experiences
of Black children. AAS 452 will thus consider, on the one hand, the theoretical framing of ideas about the growth, development
and learning of children in different life settings and styles, and, on the other, the existing structural, socio-political attempts
to find ways and means of relating the philosophy and objectives
of public education to the needs of Black children. In the process, this course examines the defects of present-day educational theories
which are based on empirical data drawn from studies of less than
1% of the population. The course will test for the applicability
and generalizability of such data to other population groups, examine their implications for different cultural systems, and assess what is thus contributed to cognitive variation and performance
and competence in the learning process. (Wagaw)
454/Anthro. 453. African-American Culture. One
introductory course in the social sciences. (3). (Excl).
See Anthropology 453. (Williams)
458. Issues in Black World
Studies. (3). (Excl). May be elected for a total
of 6 credits.
Section 004: Black Feminist Thought. Although there is great
deal of feminist writing by Black women and women of color, these
writings are used primarily to describe the views and realities
of Black women and women of color. The work however is more than
descriptive commentaries or documents. From the earliest writing
of the literate slave Harriet Jacobs to the works of Paula Giddings, Bell Hooks, Alice Walker, Cherrie Morarga and Janice Mirikitani, Black women and women of color have been engaged in feminist struggles
and discourse although they have not often been named as such.
The objectives of this course are: (a) To establish the tradition
of Black feminist thought through the current and historic feminist
writing of women of color and African American women (b) To examine the issues of feminism as they emerge from these writings; (c)
To compare the feminism of African-American women and other women
of color through their feminist writings and identify the similarities
and differences in these feminisms. WL:4 (Haniff)
486. Communication Media in the Black World. (3).
(Excl).
Section 002: Communication Media and the Black World. This
course will consider the registry of the Black experience in radio, television and film. Special attention will be paid to the technical, economic, and social properties of modern mass media and how they
affect the replication of the reality of Black life in the United
States and elsewhere. We will study the reproduction of Black
stereotypes in modern film and television, from early dramas and musicals, on through to contemporary coverage of athletic events
and news broadcasting. Particular attention will be paid to the
problems of semiotics, reunification and hegemony posed by the
monopoly nature of mainstream mass media. In addition, attention
will be paid to films and programs that have sought to accurately
record the complexity of Black life, and such study will include
independent Black film and television producers. WL:4 (Chrisman)
410. Supervised Reading and Research. Permission
of instructor. (1-6). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT). May be repeated for
credit with permission.
Students who can show appropriate preparation in courses previously
taken, the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies offers
course credit for independant study. A full-time faculty member
must agree to supervise the undertaking and to meet with the student
during the term. The proposed course of study may not duplicate the material of any course regularly offered by the Center. The
reading and writing requirement should be comparable to that required
in a regular course for the same number of credits; and all the
work must be completed by the final day of class in the term.
After consultation with and approval from a CAAS faculty member, applications for independent study along with statements describing the schedule of readings and of writing assignments must be filled
out. Such applications must be signed by the faculty member involved
and turned in before the end of the week of the term. It is therefore
advisable to submit applications (available in Room 200 West Engineering
Building) in advance of the beginning of the independent study
term, upon approval, and Override (Election Authorization Form)
will be issued.
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