African Studies

What kind of anthropology is it that we, as scholars and students of the discipline, should or need to be advocating – also and especially with a view to current timely demands for conceptual and structural decolonization? How has anthropological critique questioned the fundamentals of the discipline (of anthropology) itself? Which programmatic pathways have been sketched out to indicate constructive ways forward? What do we think of them; which others would we like to raise; why? Does the inclusion of, and focus on theory from the South already constitute a fundamental change? How might anthropology engage constructively with thinkers and theoretical contributions from the global South? In which ways, finally, does it matter that we as researchers and social agents are inevitably positioned in certain ways, often belonging clearly to regions of the Global North or South? This seminar course will pursue these and related questions with a view to some classic and some recent readings, both from within and outside anthropology, and engaging with theorizing from the South, especially from Africa.

The course is conceived against the background of important debates on the conceptualization of development in global academic and policy contexts from the post-independence period (1960s) to date. This course is concerned with the notions of "emergence" and "transition" and pays special attention to African economies that are increasingly cited as having "achieved" some level of prominence in this regard. Students are encouraged to engage critically with mainstream thought on African experiences as they examine the interaction between theoretical frameworks/debates and empirical realities.

This course introduces African oral and written literature in the indigenous languages. Students discuss literary aspects of both oral and written literature and the various functions and purposes they serve in society. The course includes a description and analysis of various genres of African oral and written literature.

This course introduces Bachelor students to the evolution of African literary canons from the late 19th to the 21st centuries. Emphasis is laid on acquainting students to central debates that have preoccupied African writers and how these debates have unmasked the complexities of African societies before and at the dawn of colonialization. In exploring the texts, developing basic skills such as reading, interpreting, analyzing, and critiquing novels, short stories, drama, and poetry is a major objective of the seminar. Further, debates regarding the historical and cultural contexts of the literary productions shall be engaged in the course of the seminar. To have a better appreciation of African literatures, texts, and critical discourse from the African Diaspora shall be part of the literary corpus. The course also discusses major theoretical approaches to literature such as, structuralism, narratology, new historicism, and African feminist critical perspectives. The postcolonial theory is, however, a major critical discourse in the seminar.

This experiential course features concentrated study, lectures, roundtables, field trips, and interactions with the people of Ghana. The course involves an in-depth examination of Ghanaian history, culture, governance, family and society, gender issues, and development challenges. The course includes language instruction; language practice situations in the field; dance lessons; drumming lessons; and field excursions to culturally and historically significant sites in Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast. It introduces students to practical skills and provides information to help students adjust to living in Ghana. 

The course focuses on the fundamental issues of the political and social history of contemporary Africa. Emphasis is placed on the colonial period, decolonization paths, and the processes and dynamics involved in independent state formation. Using an appropriate methodological apparatus, the course highlights the formation of the main political systems on the African continent, and especially the relationship with international politics and the political and developmental crises of the last decades. The course addresses the evolution of African political systems from the last phases of the pre-colonial period up through the contemporary period. Particular attention is placed on sub-Saharan Africa. The first part of the course focuses on Africa's history in the 19th and 20th centuries. The first part discusses topics including the end of the slave trade, the development of international trade, the colonial penetration, and the scramble for Africa by European powers; the main characteristics of the various colonial administrations and the impact of colonial domination on African societies; the decolonization process in the changing international context after World War II; the independences of African states, the nation-state, and the different policies and ideologies of the independent governments; the debate on the heritage of the colonial State; and the crises of the African State and economic development policies. The second part focuses on Africa's political systems and discusses topics including the political and economic reforms of the 1980s and 1990s; democracy, the fight against poverty, and conflicts in post-cold war Africa; the challenges of the third millennium; and recent and current events. The course includes weekly lectures and in class discussions of pertinent issues related to the topics presented. A special introductory section is devoted to the use of internet in the study of African history and its political systems. Slides and maps are also included. Assessment is based on a final oral examination.

This course discusses some of the underlying issues which are causing large environmental challenges on the continent of Africa, with a particular focus on sub-Saharan Africa. Topics include the concept of nature as imagined in the 21st century; the "commons" and property rights, and how differing views of those in Africa have given rise to different problems; and the political economy of conservation, the connection of sustainability, and inequality of renewal.