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CIS
African American Studies✊🏿
Course Objectives: This course provides a broad introduction to the histories, cultures, and lived experiences of people of African descent in the United States, while tracing their enduring connections to Africa and to communities across the African diaspora. We will investigate the historical roots and contemporary forms of the system in America. The economic, political, and social subordination that has shaped Black life in the U.S. will be examined, along with the many and varied strategies of survival, resistance, creativity, and collective action. Black communities have used all of this to challenge and transform conditions.
Course Objectives: This course provides a broad introduction to the histories, cultures, and lived experiences of people of African descent in the United States, while tracing their enduring connections to Africa and to communities across the African diaspora. We will investigate the historical roots and contemporary forms of the system in America. The economic, political, and social subordination that has shaped Black life in the U.S. will be examined, along with the many and varied strategies of survival, resistance, creativity, and collective action. Black communities have used all of this to challenge and transform conditions.
A central focus of the course is the domination of race, gender, class, and other axes of being, and how these intersecting systems shape opportunities, identities, and power relationships for Black people. We will examine how intersectionality operates in historical and contemporary contexts, paying close attention to how gendered forms of oppression and resistance shape life. Key theoretical frameworks for our study will include theories of race and racism, Black feminist thought, and more. These perspectives will guide our discussions of social structures, U.S. systems, and systemic ideologies, cultural production, and political movements.
Throughout the semester, we will highlight the intellectual, artistic, and cultural creativity of African-descended peoples as a foundational source of knowledge, resilience, and the culture of America and beyond. From literature, visual arts, and music to grassroots organizing and intellectual movements, cultural expression will be treated both as evidence and as an active force in social change, allowing students to think ethically about important challenges facing our society and world.
Understanding History and the Diaspora
Comprehend the African diaspora and diverse histories of peoples of African descent.
Trace key historical developments and major events in African and African American history.
Connect past to present by analyzing historical developments that influence contemporary issues.
Interdisciplinary and Analytical Skills
Practice interdisciplinary analysis using methods from various fields.
Refine critical thinking and research skills.
Critically analyze scholarship within Black Studies.
Examining Identity and Power
Understand intersectionality and how different social identities intersect.
Analyze race and power dynamics.
Discuss social justice issues facing Black communities.
Connecting Knowledge to Action
Bridge scholarship with community engagement.
Promote civic engagement in social movements.
Prepare for careers and leadership in diverse fields.
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