Department of African and Afro-American Studies
JULIUS E. NYANG’ORO, Chair
Professors
Kenneth Janken, Julius E. Nyang’oro, Georges Nzongola-Natalaja, Bereket H. Selassie.
Associate Professors
Kia Caldwell, Perry Hall, Reginald Hildebrand, Joseph Jordan, Michael Lambert, Margaret Lee, Charlene Regester, Eunice Sahle, Karla Slocum.
Assistant Professors
Lydia Boyd, David Pier, Mamarame Seck.
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Timothy McMillan, Alphonse Mutima.
Lecturer
Donato Fhunsu, Robert Porter.
Introduction
The Department of African and Afro-American Studies is an interdisciplinary program leading to the bachelor of arts degree. It is administered through the College of Arts and Sciences. Prospective majors should contact the department.
The current goal of African and Afro-American studies at UNC–Chapel Hill is to give specific and precise attention to the histories, cultures, and cultural linkages of the peoples of Africa and their descendants in the New World. Although students must concentrate in either African or Afro-American studies, all majors must gain competence in both areas and thereby come to understand the cultural and historical continuities and contrasts between Africa and the African New World.
The purpose of the African studies concentration is to develop an analytical approach to contemporary Africa. Courses stress the importance of traditional values and institutions to the definition of modern African society, and they stress the historic range of commercial and political relationships with Europe and the New World. The purpose of the concentration in Afro-American studies is to develop a broad knowledge of the history and culture of the peoples of African descent in the Americas and the significant social, political, economic, and humanistic issues they face.
Programs of Study
The degree offered is the bachelor of arts with a major in African and Afro-American studies and a concentration either in Afro-American studies or African studies. Minors in Afro-American studies and African studies are also offered.
Majoring in African and Afro-American Studies: Bachelor of Arts
B.A. Major in African and Afro-American Studies: Concentration in Afro-American Studies
Core Requirements
• AFAM 101, 102, and 398
• AFAM/AFRI 474
• AFRI 101
• Five AFAM courses, including courses cross-listed with other units. At least one course must be numbered 400 or above.
B.A. Major in African and Afro-American Studies: Concentration in African Studies
Core Requirements
• AFAM 101
• AFAM/AFRI 474
• One regional seminar: AFRI 520, 521, 522, or 524
• AFRI 101 and 600
• Five AFRI courses
Additional Requirements
• Three semesters of one African language (either to fulfill the foreign language requirement or in addition to it) are recommended for the concentration in African studies. The following African language courses currently are offered:
• Arabic: ARAB 101, 102, 203, 204, 305, 306
• Chichewa: CHWA 401, 402, 403
• Lingala: LGLA 401, 402, 403, 404
• Kiswahili: SWAH 112, 234, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406
• Wolof: WOLO 401, 402, 403, 404
All General Education requirements apply. A modern foreign language is required. Prospective majors are encouraged to take AFAM 101 or 102 to satisfy the historical analysis Approaches requirement and AFRI 101 to satisfy the (nonhistorical) social and behavioral sciences Approaches requirement and the beyond the North Atlantic world and global issues Connections requirements.
Minoring in Afro-American Studies
The undergraduate minor in Afro-American studies requires the completion of five courses (15 hours) including AFAM 101 and 102, and AFRI 101. The remaining six hours may be chosen from any of the Afro-American studies courses offered by the department, including courses cross-listed with other units.
Minoring in African Studies
The undergraduate minor in African studies consists of 15 hours. Students are strongly encouraged to take AFRI 101 in their first two years.
• AFRI 101
• Four additional courses, selected in consultation with the African studies advisor, at least two of which must be chosen from List A and at least one at the 400 level. As many as two courses may be chosen from List B.
• List A: AFAM/AFRI 474; AFRI 190, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266, 520, 521, 522, 523
• List B: ANTH 226; GEOG 268; HIST 479; POLI 241, 437
Honors in African and Afro-American Studies
Students with an overall grade point average of 3.2 or higher at the beginning of their senior year are encouraged to apply for candidacy for the B.A. with honors. Students interested in undertaking honors research and the writing of a thesis should consult with the undergraduate studies advisor as early as possible. Approved candidates will enroll in AFAM or AFRI 691H and 692H (Honors Research I and II). One of AFAM or AFRI 691H or 692H (but not both) will count as part of the major requirements in lieu of one of the five AFRI or AFAM courses listed under “Core Requirements.” In consultation with the advisor and with the approval of the chair, AFAM 691H or 692H (but not both) may substitute for AFAM 398 or be used as an elective.
Special Opportunities in African and
Afro-American Studies
Departmental Involvement
The department works very closely with two important research units on campus: the African Studies Center and the Institute for African American Research. These two units provide an opportunity for the advanced study of issues concerning Africa and its diaspora. Two student organizations of note are the Black Student Movement (BSM) and the Organization for African Students’ Interests and Solidarity (OASIS). Finally, the Sonja Haynes Stone Center for Black Culture and History is a resource for students in terms of programming and a library on Africana studies.
Experiential Education
Students are encouraged to gain experiential education through a supervised internship at home or abroad. Students identify appropriate readings in consultation with a supervising professor and write a paper that integrates published studies and their experience.
Study Abroad
There are several opportunities for study abroad. Significantly, in collaboration with the Undergraduate Honors Program Office, every fall semester the department runs an honors study abroad program in Cape Town, South Africa. Through study abroad, students can spend a semester or year at the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in Senegal, or in Cairo, Egypt.
Undergraduate Research
Faculty in the department support undergraduate research by supervising honors projects and encouraging independent research through summer internships and visits to Africa and other areas of the African diaspora. Opportunities for research are individually tailored.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
The skills and perspectives of African and Afro-American studies provide an excellent background for students considering careers in international development, education, business, government or diplomacy. Students concentrating in African and Afro-American studies go on to a wide variety of managerial, teaching, and research positions. Other careers for which an African and Afro-American studies concentration is excellent preparation include law, the foreign service, or other positions in government, communication, social work, community development, and public administration.
Contact Information
Dr. Julius Nyang’oro, Chair, CB# 3395, 109 Battle Hall, (919) 962-1513, fax (919) 962-2694.
AFAM
50 First-Year Seminar: Defining Blackness (3). Blackness and whiteness as racial categories have existed in the United States from the earliest colonial times, but their meanings have shifted and continue to shift. Over the semester we will attempt to define and redefine blackness in the United States.
51 First-Year Seminar: Masquerades of Blackness (3). This course is designed to investigate how race has been represented in cinema historically with a emphasis on representations of race when blackness is masqueraded.
53 First-Year Seminar: African Americans’ Global Travel (3). This course examines the ways and reasons African Americans traveled across the United States and the world in the last 80 years. Research project and oral presentation required.
101 Black Experience to 1865 (3). An interdisciplinary course designed to provide a broad survey of the black experience in the Americas with special emphasis on the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.
102 Black Experience since 1865 (3). Special emphasis on postemancipation developments.
190 Topics in Afro-American Studies (3). Intensive analysis of a selected topic related to the black experience. Topic will vary with the instructor.
252 Blacks in the West (3). An interdisciplinary course designed to provide a broad survey of the black experience in the Americas with special emphasis on postemancipation developments.
254 Blacks in Latin America (3). The majority of people of African descent in this hemisphere live in Latin America. This course will explore various aspects of the black experience in Latin America.
258 The Civil Rights Movement (3). An examination of the struggle by black Americans for social justice since World War II and of the systemic responses.
259 Black Influences on Popular Culture (3). This course examines the influence of African American expressive culture, particularly popular music, on American mainstream culture.
262 Foundations of Black Education (3). The first semester deals primarily with sources of education for slaves and free blacks before the Civil War while the second semester addresses policy considerations underlying public education for blacks since the Civil War.
263 Foundations of Black Education (3). Special emphasis on the post–Civil War period.
266 Black Women in America (WMST 266) (3). An examination of the individual and collective experiences of black women in America from slavery to the present and the evolution of feminist consciousness.
267 Afro-American Leadership Styles (3). From a vast array of leadership styles students are expected to research a major figure and analyze his or her leadership behavior. Studies will examine critically the ideological and programmatic responses of black leaders to the socio-politico-economic problems of black people.
269 Black Nationalism in the United States (3). This course traces the evolution of black nationalism, both as an idea and a movement, from the era of the American Revolution to its current Afrocentric expressions.
274 African American Political Philosophy (PHIL 274) (3). See PHIL 274 for description.
276 The African American in Motion Pictures: 1900 to the Present (3). This course will analyze the role of the African American in motion pictures, explore the development of stereotypical portrayals, and investigate the efforts of African American actors and actresses to overcome these portrayals.
278 Black Caribbeans in the United States (3). This course will look at the experiences of black Caribbean immigrants in the United States and the activities in which they participate, as well as their shifting senses of their identities.
280 Blacks in North Carolina (3). This course is an overview of the black experience in North Carolina with special emphasis on Chapel Hill and Wilmington.
285 African American Women in the Media: Identity, Politics, and Resistance (WMST 285) (3). See WMST 285 for description.
287 African American Art Survey (ART 287) (3). See ART 287 for description.
293 The African Diaspora in the Americas (3). An interdisciplinary survey of African descendant communities and the development and expression of African/black identities in the context of competing definitions of diaspora.
294 African Americans and Native Americans: Explorations in Narrative, Identity, and Place (3). Interdisciplinary exploration of the interactions that characterized African American and Native American lives in what is now the United States.
297 Pan-Africanism in the Americas (3). Explores the philosophical and intellectual origins of Pan-Africanism in the Africa diaspora.
304 Blacks in Britain and British North America to 1833 (3). This course looks at blacks in the British world to 1833, with particular attention on the 13 colonies and the lands that would eventually form the Dominion of Canada.
340 Diaspora Art and Cultural Politics (3). Examines the socio-political dimensions of African diaspora art and culture with a focus on African Americans in the 20th century.
342 African American Religious Experience (ANTH 342, FOLK 342, RELI 342) (3). See RELI 342 for description.
356 The History of Hip Hop Culture (3). Examines the emergence and impact of Hip Hop music and culture and its broad influence in mainstream culture, as a global phenomenon and as a vehicle embodying formative ideas of its constituent communities.
371 Emancipation in the New World (HIST 371) (3). See HIST 371 for description.
387 20th-Century African American Art (ART 387) (3). See ART 387 for description.
392 Afro-America: Contemporary Issues (3). This course will allow students to research, analyze, and engage some pressing political, economic, and social issues confronting black people in North America and elsewhere in the diaspora.
395 Field Research in the Black Experience (3). Permission of the instructor. Individual research and practicum.
396 Independent Studies (1–6). Permission of the instructor. Independent study projects defined by student and faculty advisor for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
398 Seminar in Afro-American Studies (3). An examination of the historical, philosophical, theoretical, and methodological issues underlying the field of Afro-American studies. For senior AFAM majors. Major research paper required.
400 Racism: Implications for Human Services (SOWO 400) (3). See SOWO 400 for description.
408 Black Thought and Black Intellectuals in the 19th and 20th Centuries (3). An examination of the principal intellectual trends in black life during the 19th and 20th centuries as well as the life and work of the intelligentsia.
412 The Black Press and United States History (JOMC 342) (3). See JOMC 342 for description.
422 Human Rights and Democracy in African Diaspora Communities (3). This course examines how questions of democracy and human rights have been conceptualized in African Diaspora communities in the Americas and Europe.
428 Bioethics in Afro-American Studies (3). Will examine the process involved in resolving moral dilemmas pertaining to people of the African diaspora.
430 Comparative Studies in Culture, Gender, and Global Forces (AFRI 430, WMST 430) (4). See AFRI 430 for description.
440 Race, Justice, and American Law (3). An analysis of the role of race in the United States through the examination of major court decisions and laws affecting African Americans and a critique of the criminal justice system.
474 Key Issues in African and Afro-American Linkages (AFRI 474) (3). For advanced undergraduates and graduate students. This course is intended to explore theoretical and methodological issues concerning the historical linkages between African and African American peoples.
487 The African Impulse in African American Art (ART 487) (3). See ART 487 for description.
491 Individual Internships for AFAM Majors/Minors (1). Students work internships and develop an academic project relating to their internship experience. Course can help students answer the question, What can I do with an AFAM or AFRI major?
522 DuBois, Howard Thurman, and Malcolm X (3). Examines the ideas of the scholar W. E. B. DuBois, theologian Howard Thurman, and political theorist Malcolm X. Major issues will be conceptualized from the distinct perspectives represented by those leaders.
530 Race, Culture, and Politics in Brazil (3). Examines race, culture, and politics in Brazil from historical and contemporary perspectives. Focuses on dynamics of race, gender, class, and nation in shaping Brazilian social relations.
550 The Black Church in America (3). A survey of the historical development of the black church in America, beginning during the antebellum period and continuing to the present day.
554 Imagining Otherness in Visual Culture in the Americas (ART 554) (3). See ART 554 for description.
560 The Harlem Renaissance (3). This course provides an overview of some of the outstanding themes of the Harlem Renaissance through readings, prints and photographs, lectures, and class discussion.
569 African American Women’s History (HIST 569, WMST 569) (3). See HIST 569 for description.
580 African American Islam (RELI 580) (3). See RELI 580 for description.
610 Vernacular Traditions in African American Music (FOLK 610) (4). See FOLK 610 for description.
691H Honors Research I (3). Readings in Afro-American studies and beginning of directed research on an honors thesis. Required of all candidates for graduation with honors in Afro-American studies.
692H Honors Research II (3). Completion of an honors thesis under the direction of a member of the faculty. Required of all candidates for graduation with honors in Afro-American studies.
697 Black Arts and Black Aesthetics (3). The concept of the black aesthetic as it is manifested in black American performing, visual, literary, and musical arts.
AFRI
50 First-Year Seminar: Kings, Presidents, and Generals: Africa’s Bumpy Road to Democracy (3). An introduction to Africa’s modern history and politics with a special focus on types of leadership involved in governmental institutions.
89 First-Year Seminar: Special Topics (3). Special topics course: content will vary each semester.
101 Introduction to Africa (3). Introduction to principal features of African civilization through examination of geopolitical context; historical themes; and selected social, political, economic, religious, and aesthetic characteristics of both traditional and modern Africa.
190 Topics in African Studies (3). A seminar for junior majors in the curriculum and others with some background in the study of Africa. Discussion and research papers on one topic selected for emphasis each semester; e.g., urbanization, literature, etc.
261 African Women: Changing Ideals and Realities (WMST 261) (3). Introduction to recent literature, theoretical questions, and methodological issues concerning study of women in Africa. Topics include women in traditional society, impact of colonial experience and modernization on African women.
262 The Literature of Africa (3). An introduction to African literature. In addition to substantive themes, we will identify major stylistic characteristics of modern African literature with particular attention to the ways in which African language, literature, and traditional values have affected modern writing.
263 African Belief Systems: Religion and Philosophy in Sub-Saharan Africa (3). The relationship between religion and society in sub-Saharan Africa is explored through ethnographic and historical readings. The Nilotic, Bantu, and West African religious traditions are examined in detail.
264 African Art and Culture (3). Introduction to the plastic arts of sub-Saharan Africa through study of their relationship to the human values, institutions, and modes of aesthetic expression of select traditional and modern African societies.
265 Africa in the Global System (3). A seminar that critically examines the historical and theoretical basis of the state’s centrality in economic development in African countries. Relevant case studies drawn from sub-Saharan Africa.
266 Contemporary Africa: Issues in Health, Population, and the Environment (3). A seminar that introduces students to non-Western perspectives and comparative study of ecological, social, and economic factors that influence the welfare of contemporary African communities. Examination of famine, population growth, and health issues within the context of African cultural and social systems.
296 Independent Studies (1–6). Permission of the instructor. Independent study project designed particularly in conjunction with overseas study.
353 African Masquerade and Ritual (ANTH 343, ART 353) (3). See ART 353 for description.
368 Political Protest and Conflict in Africa (3). This course surveys contemporary forms of political conflict and protest in Africa. The nature, causes, and consequences of these conflicts will be examined.
370 Policy Problems in African Studies (3). A seminar for senior majors and others with some background in the study of Africa. Lectures, readings, and research projects on one problem each semester concerning policy formation by African leaders or on United States–Africa policy issues.
375 Politics of Cultural Production in Africa (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Explores the role that the cultural realm plays in legitimizing, reproducing, resisting, and uncovering dominant structures of power in Africa.
395 Field Research Methods in African Studies (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. This course will prepare students to conduct field research in Africa by looking at how to write a proposal, how to get research permission, and how to collect qualitative data.
396 Independent Studies (1–6). Permission of the instructor. Independent study project defined by student and faculty advisor for advanced undergraduate and graduate students.
416 Human Rights and Social Justice Movements in Africa (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Examines key theoretical and philosophical debates on human rights and explores how they have informed major themes of human rights struggles in Africa.
421 Introduction to the Languages of Africa (3). This course is an introduction to the languages of Africa. No linguistics background is required. Topics include classification, characteristic linguistic features of Africans languages, and their role in their respective societies.
430 Comparative Studies in Culture, Gender, and Global Forces (AFAM 430, WMST 430) (4). Permission of the instructor. Examines participatory development theory and practice in Africa and the United States in the context of other intervention strategies and with special attention to culture and gender. Requires two to four hours a week of community service.
453 Africa in the American Imagination (ART 453) (3). See ART 453 for description.
456 Senegalese Society and Culture (3). This course provides an overview of Senegalese culture through movies, literary works, and scholarly books and articles. The course examines the geography, population, ethnic composition, thoughts and religious beliefs, arts and music, polygamy, status of women, and the impact of the tariqas or Sufi orders on people’s daily lives.
474 Key Issues in African and Afro-American Linkages (AFAM 474) (3). See AFAM 474 for description.
480 Ethnography of Africa (3). By examining ethnographic texts, students will learn about topics in African studies such as systems of thought, aesthetics, the economy, politics, social organization, identity, and the politics of representation.
488 Contemporary African Art (ART 488) (3). See ART 488 for description.
520 Contemporary Southern Africa (PWAD 520) (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Study of the history, politics, and economic development of southern Africa in the 20th century.
521 East African Society and Environment (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Study of the history, politics, and economic development of Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in the 20th century.
522 West Africa: Society and Economy in the 20th Century (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Interdisciplinary course on 20th-century West Africa. Topics vary but are likely to include demography and health, gender, urbanization, labor, religion and politics, and education.
523 Central Africa: The Politics of Development (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Study of the postcolonial political economies of central African states, with emphasis on the state’s role in development, the changing character of state–society relationships (including recent pressures for democratization), and the local impact of regional and global external linkages.
524 North East Africa (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. This course covers the history of colonial governments between the end of World War II and the onslaught of decolonization (1919–1994) in north East Africa and the region’s political systems thereafter.
535 Women and Gender in African History (HIST 535) (3). See HIST 535 for description.
540 21st-Century Scramble for Africa (3). Recommended preparation, AFRI 101. Examines the 21st-century global competition for African resources and compares it to the 19th-century “scramble for Africa.” Major actors include the European Union, the United States, and China.
550 The Challenges of Democratic Governance in Africa (3). An in-depth examination of trends and theories on democratic governance since the end of the Cold War, together with the implications of these trends and theories for Africa.
600 African Studies Colloquium (3). This course will equip students to critically analyze cutting edge issues concerning Africa today through readings, lectures, and research. For junior/senior AFRI majors and students with interest in Africa.
691H Honors Research I (3). Readings in African studies and beginning of directed research on an honors thesis. Required of candidates for graduation with honors in African studies.
692H Honors Research II (3). Completion of an honors thesis under the direction of a member of the faculty. Required of candidates for graduation with honors in African studies.
401 Elementary Chichewa I (3). The course introduces the essential elements of the Chichewa language. Emphasis is on speaking and writing grammatically acceptable Chichewa and on aspects of central African culture.
402 Elementary Chichewa II (3). Prerequisite, CHWA 401. Emphasis is on speaking and writing grammatically acceptable Chichewa to a proficiency level that will enable the student to live among the Chichewa-speaking people of central southern Africa.
403 Intermediate Chichewa III (3). Prerequisite, CHWA 402. Continued instruction in Chichewa following the materials introduced in CHWA 401 and 402.
401 Elementary Lingala I (3). Introduces the essential elements of Lingala structure and vocabulary and aspects of African cultures. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed.
402 Elementary Lingala II (3). Prerequisite, LGLA 101. Continues the introduction of the essential elements of Lingala structure and vocabulary and aspects of African cultures. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed.
403 Intermediate Lingala III (3). This course increases language learning ability, communicative proficiency, and proficiency in the cultures of the Lingala-speaking people.
404 Intermediate Lingala IV (3). This course reinforces language learning ability, communicative proficiency in the culture of the Lingala-speaking people through gradual exposure to more challenging tasks, with emphasis on poetry and prose reading, and creative writing.
112 Intensive Kiswahili 1–2 (6). The 112 course covers the material in the SWAH 401 and 402 sequence in a single semester.
234 Intensive Kiswahili 3–4 (6). Prerequisite, SWAH 112 or 402. The course covers the material in the SWAH 403 and 404 sequence in a single semester.
401 Elementary Kiswahili I (3). Introduces the essential elements of Kiswahili structure and vocabulary and aspects of African cultures. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed.
402 Elementary Kiswahili II (3). Prerequisite, SWAH 401. Continues the introduction of essential elements of Kiswahili structure and vocabulary and aspects of African cultures. Aural comprehension, reading, speaking, and writing are stressed.
403 Intermediate Kiswahili III (3). Third-semester Kiswahili, designed to increase reading and writing skills. Introduction of literature. Aural comprehension and speaking skills stressed.
404 Intermediate Kiswahili IV (3). Prerequisite, SWAH 403. Fourth-semester Kiswahili, designed to increase reading and writing skills. Introduction of more compound structures. Emphasis on literature, including drama, prose and poetry, and creative writing. Aural comprehension and speaking skills stressed.
405 Advanced Kiswahili V (3). Prerequisite, SWAH 404. This course is offered to students who have completed SWAH 404. It is taught in Swahili and aims at enabling students with grammatical and communicative competence.
406 Advanced Plus Kiswahili VI (3). Prerequisite, SWAH 405. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. This course reinforces and expands the grammatical, cultural, and communicative competence achieved in SWAH 405.
408 Swahili across the Curriculum Recitation (1). Prerequisite, SWAH 403. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. Swahili recitation offered in conjunction with selected content courses. Weekly discussion and readings in Swahili relating to attached content courses.
401 Elementary Wolof I (3). This course enables students who have no previous experience in Wolof to develop speaking, listening and understanding, writing, and reading skills in Wolof. Students will also be exposed to Wolof culture.
402 Elementary Wolof II (3). This course is for students who have already acquired the basics of Wolof to reinforce their ability to learn speaking, listening and understanding, writing, and reading Wolof. Evidence of basic knowledge of Wolof is required.
403 Intermediate Wolof III (3). This course is intended for learners who have already acquired Wolof proficiency in WOLO 401 and 402. It increases communicative proficiency and language learning ability as well as proficiency in cultures of the Wolof people.
404 Intermediate Wolof IV (3). Prerequisite, WOLO 403. Permission of the instructor for students lacking the prerequisite. This course reinforces students’ communicative and cultural skills via gradual exposure to increasingly challenging tasks. Reading poetry and prose, and introduction to creative writing will be stressed.