AFS 102 Introduction to Africana Studies

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the interdisciplinary field of Africana Studies and to the foundational concepts and institutional experiences upon which the field is built. The course provides a basic understanding of the history of the field and how various American interest groups fought to establish and develop academic programs that focused on the study of Africa and its diaspora populations. Through the use of diverse sources including maps, YouTube videos, music, film, primary documents, and class anthropology texts, students learn about the diverse motivations and approaches in the U.S. for the study of Africa, and about national and international conditions that led to the establishment of the first African Studies and Black Studies programs in the U.S. and abroad. Required for all AFS majors who have entered the program from 2014 on. [SS, V]