African Studies Center

The African Studies Center at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia is part of a four-school consortium that includes the University of Pennsylvania and Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Swarthmore Colleges. As part of this consortial arrangement, the African Studies Center receives funding from the US Department of Education as a National Resource Center for teaching African area studies and languages at the undergraduate level. The consortium promotes interdisciplinary instruction and research in African languages and Area Studies, and exchange relationships with African Institutions. The four institutions have some 40 faculty members who teach, conduct research, and publish on Africa, and whose combined scholarly interests represent the entire African continent. An annual fall African Studies Workshop draws scholars from throughout the northeast to Penn for a day-long presentation of papers focusing on recent developments in Africanist scholarship, issues, and debates. Throughout the academic year lectures are presented by speakers from a wide spectrum of disciplines, academic and civic institutions, and all parts of the world. The Center also offers a Certificate in African Studies for MA and Ph.D. students, as well as an interdisciplinary undergraduate major and minor.

The various libraries at each school are working together to facilitate and further enhance this research community.