Topics vary. See the Africana Studies Department's website at https://africana.sas.upenn.edu for a description of the current offerings.

Topics vary. See the Africana Studies Department's website at https://africana.sas.upenn.edu for a description of the current offerings.

This course is cross listed with HIST 214 (America after 1800: Advanced Benjamin Franklin Seminar) when the subject matter is related to African, African American or African diaspora issues. See the Africana Studies Program's website at www.sas.upenn.edu/africana for a description of the current offerings.

This course provides an introduction to the study of Africa in all its diversity and complexity. Our focus is cultural, geographical, and historical: we will seek to understand Africa s current place in the world political and economic order and learn about the various social and physical factors that have influenced the historical trajectory of the continent. We study the cultural formations and empires that emerged in Africa before European colonial invasion and then how colonialism reshaped those sociocultural forms. We ll learn about the unique kinds of kinship and religion in precolonial Africa and the changes brought about by the spread of Islam and Christianity. Finally, we ll take a close look at contemporary issues such as ethnic violence, migration, popular culture and poverty, and we'll debate the various approaches to understanding those issues.

In its current post-colonial, post-apartheid incarnation, South Africa has become known as the Rainbow Nation: a place that encompasses all manner of diversity, situated at the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The site from which mankind first arose, South Africa has a long and varied history. This introductory course will trace this history in broad strokes, from pre-colonial times to the near present, focusing most attention on the period from the mineral discoveries of the late 19th century until now. Main themes will include colonial conquest and indigenous resistance, the creation of new racial and national identities, and the rise, life and demise of the apartheid state. Examining large historical processes, (often through the lens of individual lives) by way of novels, films and scholarly readings will enable a broader engagement with issues of race and racism as well as gender and generational conflicts. Course requirements will include exams and a short writing assignment.

The elementary Swahili course can be taken to fulfill a language requirement, or for linguistic preparation to do research on East Africa/Africa-related topics. The course emphasizes communicative compentence to enable the students to aquire linguistic and extra-linguistic skills in Swahili. The content of the course is selected from various everyday life situations to enable the students to communicate in predictable commom daily settings. Culture, as it relates to language use, is also part of the course content. Students will acquire the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills at the mid-high novice level, based on the ACTFL scale. The mid-high level proficiency skills that the students acquire constitute threshold capabilities of the second semester range of proficiency to prepare students for Elementary Swahili II course materials.

This course examines the experiences of Africans and African Americans in colonial America and in the United States to 1865. We will explore a variety of themes through the use of primary and secondary sources. Topics include: the development of racial slavery, labor, identity, gender, religion, education, law, protest, resistance, and abolition.

This Elementary Yoruba I course can be taken to fulfull a language requirement, or for linguistic preparation to do research on Nigeria and the diaspora/Africa-related topics. The course emphasizes communicative competence to enable the students to acquire linguistic and extra-linguistic skills in Yoruba. The content of the course is selected from various everyday life situations to enable the students to communicate in predictable commom daily settings. Culture, as it relates to language use, is also part of the course content. Students will acquire the speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills at the mid-high novice level, based on the ACTFL scale. The mid-high novice level proficiency skills that the students will acquire constitute threshold capabilities of the second semester range of proficiency to prepare students for Elementary Yoruba II course materials.

The course surveys the development of law in the U.S. to 1877, including such subjects as: the evolution of the legal profession, the transformation of English law during the American Revolution, the making and implementation of the Constitution, and issues concerning business and economic development, the law of slavery, the status of women, and civil rights.

The Elementary Twi I course can be taken to fulfill a language requirement, or for linguistic preparation to do research on Ghana/Africa-related topics. The course emphasizes communicative competence to enable the students to acquire linguistic and extra-linguistic skills in Twi. The content of the course is selected from various everyday life situations to enable the students to communicate in predictable common daily settings. Culture, as it relates to language use, is also a part of the course content.