African Studies
College of Liberal & Creative Arts
Interim Dean: Daniel Bernardi
African Studies Program
HUM 336
Phone: 415-338-2495
Director: Aguibou Yansané
Faculty
Professors: Bettelheimr, Getz, Obenga, Yansané
Associate Professors: Akom, Clavie, McDougal, Richards, Steier
Lecturer: Bernstein
Program
Program Scope
The African Studies Minor is a multidisciplinary program in African history, politics, economics and cultures, designed to provide students with a broad understanding of the issues facing African communities, societies, and nation-states in the past as well as the present. Courses from multiple departments and programs are incorporated into the African Studies Minor, offering different disciplinary bases for the examination and analysis of African contributions to world civilizations. It enables students to integrate and apply knowledge in the evolution of African societies from being the cradle of humanity to providing labor for the use of other civilizations and through colonial and post-colonial linkages, technological expansion and economic liberalization. Students will examine African accomplishments, mores, traditions, cultures and civilizations to finish the minor with a greater degree of understanding of, and tolerance for, cultural differences and ethnic pluralism as well as the problems inherent in the process of social change in Africa and the African Diaspora.
Students who select this minor are presented with different disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives. Common to all these perspectives is the critical examination of social change/modernization/development/ globalization. It is hoped that students will be provided the tools to enable them to build their own frames of reference, syntheses of concepts, data and theories, to enrich their social attitudes and cultural values concerning Africa and to appreciate its richness and its unity in diversity.
Career Outlook
Students will be encouraged to take advantage of the African Studies Minor to apply their knowledge, understanding, and interest in things African to their career goals (teaching, journalism, business, and international endeavors in the public sector, non-governmental agencies, and multilateral institutions).
African Studies Minor
Students interested in this minor should see one of the African Studies faculty to choose the courses most appropriate to them. (Note: No more than 6 units may be taken on a CR/NC basis; no more than 9 units may be transferred from other campuses.) All students completing the minor are required to demonstrate intermediate level competency in a relevant language other than English. For specific information on how to meet the requirement students should consult with the coordinator of the minor program.
The African Studies Minor consists of a core curriculum of three courses which contain material and perspectives which reach across the normal disciplinary divisions of the University, plus 15 units of upper division courses taken from the following list, on advisement.
African Studies Minor — 24 units
Courses are 3 units unless otherwise indicated.
Core Requirements (9 units)
One course selected from each of the following areas:
Classical Africa
- AFRS 305 Ancient Egypt
- CLAR 500 Ancient Egyptian Civilization
Africa: Tradition and Transition
- AFRS 302 Black Diaspora
- HIST 610 History of Africa
- ART 508 Contemporary Art in a Global Context
Modern Africa
- AFRS 301 Africa in Global Perspective
- HIST 611 Modern Africa
- HUM 360 Styles of African Cultural Expression
Electives (15 units)
Units selected on advisement with at least one course from each group and no duplication of courses that were taken as part of the core curriculum
Behavioral and Social Sciences
- ECON 620 Economic Development
- HIST 610 History of Africa
- HIST 611 Modern Africa
- I R 321 Development and Foreign Policy—Africa (4)
- I R 428 International Political Economy of Food and Hunger (4)
- I R 520 Globalization and Development (4)
- I R 540 The Rich and the Poor Nations (4)
- I R 632 Regional Economic Communities (4)
Ethnic Studies
- AFRS 300 From Africa to Olmec America: Ancient African Prehistory and History
- AFRS 301 Africa in Global Perspective
- AFRS 302 Black Diaspora
- AFRS 305 Ancient Egypt
- AFRS 411 African and African American Literature
Humanities and Arts
- CLAR 500 Ancient Egyptian Civilization
- CLAR 502 Ancient Egyptian Language and Literature
Language Requirement
All students completing the African Studies Minor are required to demonstrate intermediate level competency in a language (other than English), relevant to the area. This requirement may be met by completing the university entrance requirement of two years of high school language study, one year of successful college level language study, or by demonstration of equivalent competency.
