African Studies

This course focuses on the history and culture of the Africans in the diaspora on the African continent (especially West Africa) and the Americas (North America, the Caribbean, and South America). The course examines major issues and conditions in Africa that sent many people into diaspora communities in Africa. Specific issues considered in this direction are those related to Islamic Jihads, Trans-Saharan Trade, Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, Colonialism, and plantation slavery in West Africa, as these events led to the relocation and redistribution of African populations in Africa. Additionally, the course reviews archaeological evidence that provides insights into the historical experiences of the African Diaspora as seen from the Americas.

This course examines the influence of colonizer religions on countries in Africa and how these religions are used in political relationships between African countries, specifically Senegal, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, the Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Nigeria. It primarily focuses on Islam and Christianity but also includes indigenous religions found in various regions. Topics include missions and colonization, African Pentecostalism, political Islam and radical movements, and Islamo-Christian relations.

Ghana Society and Culture II is a follow-up to Ghana Society and Culture and builds upon the skills acquired in the first semester. This course is purely a Research class with three-week intensive field work in subject areas such as History, Political Science, Sociology, Geography, Public Health, Gender and Development and others. The course has 15 hours of lectures/seminar and over 80 hours of field interactions. 

This course introduces and discusses the dynamic interplay between the various forces of globalization and the impact on culture and identity in Africa. The ideas explored and debates encouraged are expected to contribute towards a more thoughtful, professional practice and critical awareness of social and historical context, particularly the post-colonial context in Africa. From Cape Town to Algiers and Puntland, the course takes a case-study approach, examining a range of different contemporary issues, historical moments, and diverse localities across the continent. It also explores dominant concepts and vocabularies that operate in relation to complex processes of globalization, but which impact everyday life in distinctly different ways.