African Studies Center

University of Pennsylvania
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Spring 2014 Course List
Course Name Course # Section Cross– Listings Type Instructor Fulfills Meeting Time CU's Notes
World Music & CulturesDraws on repertories of various societies from Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas to examine relations between aesthetic productions and social processes. We investigate musical sounds, cultural logics informing those sounds, and social strategies of performance. Topics may include indigenous music theories, music and social organization, symbolic expressions and musical meaning, gender, religion, and social change. AFST 050 401 AFRC 050 ANTH 022 MUSC 050 Lec Rommen T Cross Cultural Analysis Arts & Letters Sector TR 10:30am-12pm 1
AFST 050 402 AFRC 050 ANTH 022 MUSC 050 Lec Sykes J Cross Cultural Analysis Arts & Letters Sector TR 12 - 1:30 PM 1
AFST 050 403 AFRC 050 ANTH 022 MUSC 050 Lec Im B Cross Cultural Analysis Arts & Letters Sector MWF 11 AM - 12 PM 1
AFST 050 404 AFRC 050 ANTH 022 MUSC 050 Lec Chambers J Cross Cultural Analysis Arts & Letters Sector MWF 10 - 11 AM 1
Music of AfricaAfrican Contemporary Music: North, South, East, and West. Come to know contemporary Africa through the sounds of its music: from South African kwela, jazz, marabi, and kwaito to Zimbabwean chimurenga; Central African soukous and pygmy pop; West African fuji, and North African rai and hophop. Through reading and listening to live performance, audio and video recordings, we will examine the music of Africa and its intersections with politics, history, gender, and religion in the colonial and post-colonial era. AFST 053 401 AFRC 053 COML 053 MUSC 051 Lec Muller C Cross Cultural Analylsis TR 12 - 1:30 PM 1
Land of the PharoahsThis course provides an introduction to the society, culture and history of ancient Egypt. The objective of the course is to provide an understanding of how ancient Egypt emerged as one of the most successful and long-lived civilizations in world history. AFST 062 401 NECL 062 Lec Wegner J Hist & Trad Sector 1
The New African DiasporaThis seminar will examine the experiences of recent African immigrants and refugees in Philadelphia in an historical framework. We will employ a variety of sources-newspapers, census data, legal briefs, literature and film, and diaspora internet sites-to explore the lives, aspirations, and perceptions of Philadelphia's African residents. There will be opportunities for dialogue with high school students, teachers, and parents; with representatives of African community and business organizations; and with local government and service agencies. Students will be required to do a final project which involves volunteering with an African immigrant non-profit or business and/or conducting focused research on specific African communities in Philadelphia. AFST 167 401 AFRC 167 HIST 167 URBS 167 Sem Cassanelli L ABCS W 3:30 - 6:30 PM 1 *Acad Based Community Service
Making Modern South AfricaIn 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 aparthied 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. AFST 187 401 HIST 187 Lec Byala S Cross Cultural Analysis TR 2 - 4:30 PM
African ReligionsReligion permeates all aspects of African life and thought. There is no dichotomy between religion and society in Africa. Religion is therefore an essential tool for understanding and appreciating the behaviors and lifestyles of African peoples. In this course, we will survey some of the indigenous religions of Africa and examine their nature and their philosophical foundations. We will examine African systems of belief, myths, symbols, and rituals, as developed by African societies to express their distinctive worldviews. We will also raise a few general questions about the interrelationship of religion and culture as well as religion and social change in Africa, and the challenges of modern technologies to African beliefs. Focus will be on West African religions, including those of Akan of Ghana, Yoruba of Nigeria, and Mende of Sierra Leone. Questions are provided (a) to guide and direct reading (b) to form the basis for discussion (c) as exercises and (d) for examinations. AFST 210 601 AFRC 210 RELS 210 LEC Ofosu-Donkoh M 6 - 9 PM 1
Afr. Women's Lives Past & Pres.Restoring women to African history is a worthy goal, but easier said than done. The course examines scholarship over the past forty years that brings to light previously overlooked contributions African women have made to political struggle, religious change, culture preservation, and economic development from pre-colonial times to present. The course addresses basic questions about changing women's roles and human rights controversies associated with African women within the wider cultural and historical contexts in which their lives are lived. It also raises fundamental questions about sources, methodology, and representation, including the value of African women's oral and written narrative and cinema production as avenues to insider perspectives on African women's lives. (instructor requests course to be submitted for: cross cultural analysis fulfillment consideration) AFST 221 601 GSWS 222 LEC Blakely P T 4:30 - 7:30 PM 1
African Lang & CultureThe aim of the course is to provide a general perspective on African languages and African linguistics. No background in linguistics is necessary. Students will be introduced to theoretical linguistics-its concepts, theories, ways of argumentation, data collection, data analysis, and data interpretation. The focus will be on the languages and linguistics of Africa to provide you with the knowledge and skills required to handle the language and language-related issues typical of African conditions. We will cover topics related to formal linguistics (phonology/phonetics, morphology, syntax, and semantics), aspects of pragmatics as well as the general socio-linguistic character of African countries. We will also cover language in context, language and culture, borrowing, multilingualism, and cross-cultural communication in Africa. AFST 225 401 AFRC 225 LEC Mbeje A Cross Cultural Analysis TR 1:30 - 3 PM 1
Media in AfricaThis course examines the recent explosion of media culture in Africa, including radio, TV, film, internet, newspapers, and magazines. We look at the media forms themselves, studying the elements of African culture that shape the language,themes, and imagery of African media. We also study the producers of the media: the African journalists, film directors, disc jockeys actors, and entertainers who construct the African public sphere through talent and ingenuity, drawing on cultural knowledge and social relationships. Finally, we'll turn to African audiences, learning how Africans actively engage with media forms, using media to participate in national conversations on such topics as gender, environmentalism, corruption, and development. Throughout the course, we study how African media give expression to ethnic, political, and religious identities, playing a crucial role in the construction and interaction of communities within the larger context of nation-states. AFST 227 AFST 503 ANTH 227 ANTH 504 601 AFST 227 Sem Hasty M R 6 - 9 PM Undergraduates need permission to enroll in the graduate level
Tpcs: Africa & African DiasporaThis course explores an aspect of the literature of Africa and the African Diaspora intensively; specific course topics will vary from year to year. AFST 272 401 AFRC 276 COML 273 ENGL 271 Sem Jaji T TR 3 - 4:30 PM 1
Senior ThesisIndividual research under faculty supervision culminating in a thesis. AFST 300 0 IND Cassanelli L TBA 1 Permission needed from department
Africa & the Mid-EastThis seminar will explore the historical relationship between these two regions from the early modern age to the present. We will examine the history of trade, particularly the slave trade, and its cultural and political legacy. We will compare the experiences of European imperalism--how the scramble for Africa dovetailed with the last decades of the Ottoman Empire--with an eye to how this shaped nationalist movements in both regions. The course will also explore the decades of independence with a special eye towards pan-Africanism and pan-Arabism. We will also study the ramifications of the Arab-Israeli conflict on the relationship between African and Middle-Eastern countries, from Uganda to Ethiopia, from OPEC to Darfur. The course will pay close attention to migrations through the regions, whether forced or economic or religious. Whenever possible we will explore, through film and literature, how people in Africa and the Middle East see their connections, and their differences. AFST 373 401 HIST 371 NELC 334 Sem Young A W 2 - 5 PM 1
Middle EgyptianIntroduction to the grammar of Middle Egyptian. AFST 460 401 ANEL 460 Lec Silverman D TR 1:30 - 3 PM 1
Public Interest WorkshopPublic interest ethnography workshop that incorporates an interdisciplinary approach to exploring issues. The workshop is a response to Amy Gutmann's call for interdisciplinary cooperation across the University and to the Dept. of Anthropology's commitment to developing public interest research and practice as a disciplinary theme. Rooted in the rubric of public interest social science, the course focuses on: 1) merging problem solving with theory and analysis in the interest of change motivated by commitment to social justice, harmony, equality and human rights; and 2) engaging in the public debate on human issues to make research results accessible to a broader audience. Students are encouraged to apply the framing model to a public interest research and action topic of their choice. AFST 516 401 ANTH 516 GSWS 516 URBS 516 Sem Suess G ABCS W 2 - 5 PM 1 Acad Based Community Serv Course
J. M. Coetzee An advanced seminar in anglophone African literature, possibly including a few works in translation. AFST 775 401 ENGL 775 Sem Barnard R W 3 - 6 PM 1 Undergraduates need permission
Independent StudyMay be taken for research connected with the Ph.D. dissertation with the consent of the faculty adviser. AFST 999 0 IND Cassanelli L TBA 1 Permission needed from department
Languages
Course Name Course # Section Cross– Listings Type Instructor Fulfills Meeting Time CU's Notes
Amharic
Elementary Amharic II AFST 241 680 AFRC 241 AFRC 541 AFST 541 NELC 482 Lec Hailu Y MW 5:30-7:30pm 1
Intermediate Amharic II AFST 243 680 AFRC 243 AFRC 544 AFST 544 NELC 484 Lec Hailu Y TR 6-8 PM 1
Advanced Amharic II AFST 247 680 AFST 547 Lec Zemichael E Cross Cultural Analysis TR 2-4pm 1
ARABIC: HIST SCR
Arabic: Read Hist Script AFST 509 680 ARAB 534 Lec Dinar A M 3-6 PM 1
CHICHEWA
Intermediate Chichewa II AFST 493 688 Lec Mwaya M MW 8:30 - 10:30 AM
Igbo
Elementary Igbo II AFST 491 681 AFRC 491 Lec Nwadiora C MW 7-9 PM 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Igbo II AFST 493 681 AFRC 493 Lec Nwadiora C TR 5 - 7 PM 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Igbo II AFST 495 681 AFRC 495 Lec Nwadiora C TR 5 - 7 PM 1 Department permission needed
Igbo Lang & Culture II AFST 497 681 AFRC 497 Lec Nwadiora C MW 7-9 PM 1 Department permission needed
MALAGASY
Elementary Malagasy II AFST 491 680 Lec Winteron M MW 7-9 PM 1 Department permission needed
MANINKA
Elementary Maninka II AFST 491 687 AFST 596 LEC Traore I TBA 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Maninka II AFST 493 687 AFST 597 LEC Traore I TBA 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Maninka II AFST 495 687 AFST 599 LEC Traore I TBA 1 Department permission needed
SWAHILI
Elementary Swahili II AFST 181 680 AFRC 181 AFST 581 Lec Mshomba E TR 12-2pm 1
Intermediate Swahili II AFST 281 680 AFRC 282 AFST 583 Lec Mshomba E TR 10:30am-12pm, F 3-4pm 1
Advanced Swahili II AFST 285 680 AFRC 285 AFST 586 Lec Mshomba E Cross Cultural Analysis TR 9-10:30am, F 4-5 1
Swahili Language & Culture II AFST 485 680 AFST 591 Lec Mshomba E Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1
TIGRINYA
Elementary Tigrinya II AFST 491 683 AFRC 491 Lec Zemichael E TR 6-8pm 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Tigrinya II AFST 493 683 AFRC 493 Lec Zemichael E TR 4-6pm 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Tigrinya II AFST 495 683 AFRC 495 Lec Zemichael E TR 8-10 PM 1 Department permission needed
TWI
Elementary Twi II AFST 161 680 AFRC 163 AFST 565 Lec Ofosu-Donkoh K TR 4:30-6:30pm 1
Intermediate Twi II AFST 263 680 AFRC 265 AFST 567 Lec Ofosu-Donkoh K TR 6:30-8:30pm 1
Advanced Twi II AFST 363 680 AFRC 364 AFST 569 Lec Ofosu-Donkoh K Cross Cultural Analysis TR 2:30-4:30pm 1
Wolof
Elementary Wolof II AFST 491 682 AFRC 491 Lec Thioune M MW 5-7pm 1 Permission needed from department
Intermediate Wolof II AFST 493 682 AFRC 493 Lec Thioune M TR 2-4 PM 1 Permission needed from department
Advanced Wolof II AFST 495 682 AFRC 495 Lec Thioune M TBA 1 Permission needed from department
Yoruba
Elementary Yoruba II AFST 171 680 AFRC 171 AFST 518 Lec Awoyale Y MW 5-7pm 1
Intermediate Yoruba II AFST 271 680 AFRC 271 AFST 532 Lec Awoyale Y TR 7-9pm 1
Advanced Yoruba II AFST 371 680 AFST 588 Lec Awoyale Y Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1
Yoruba Language & Culture II AFST 487 680 Lec Cross Cultural Analysis TR 3-5pm 1
Zulu
Elementary Zulu: Accl. AFST 149 680 AFRC 149 AFRC 549 Lec Mbeje A TR 6-9 PM
F 1-3 PM
2 Equivalent to 1 full year of Elem Zulu
Elementary Zulu II AFST 151 680 AFRC 152 AFST 551 Lec Mbeje A MW 3-5 PM 1
Intermediate Zulu II AFST 251 680 AFRC 251 AFST 553 Lec Magaya L TR 6 - 8 PM 1
Advanced Zulu II AFST 351 680 AFRC 351 AFST 555 Lec Magaya L Cross Cultural Analysis TR 7-9 PM 1
Zulu Lang & Culture II AFST 451 680 Lec Mbeje A Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1

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