African Studies

Director: Diana Shandy (Anthropology).

African Studies Steering Committee: David Blaney (Political Science), Jean-Pierre Karegeye (French and Francophone Studies), Erik Larson (Sociology), Sowah Mensah (Music), David Chioni Moore (International Studies and English), Jamie Monson (History), William Moseley (Geography), Sonia Patten (Anthropology), Ahmed Samatar (International Studies), Dianna Shandy (Anthropology), Joëlle Vitiello (French and Francophone Studies), Karl Wirth (Geology).

Additional faculty with teaching and research interests in Africa: Peter Rachleff (History), Lynn Hudson (History).

The Interdepartmental Program in African Studies offers a concentration that consists of six Africa-related courses. The broad theme of the African Studies concentration is continuity and change in recognition of the faculty’s desire to instill an understanding of the internal and external forces on the African continent. Students are encouraged to take courses that place the region in its historical and global political-economic context while understanding its internal intellectual, cultural and biophysical energies. Given that students and faculty approach African Studies from an array of disciplinary perspectives, students may begin this concentration from a variety of entry points. The program promotes breadth by requiring courses in several departments, and depth by requiring a lengthy Africa related paper in an existing senior seminar or independent study.

Programs

African Studies