African Studies Center

University of Pennsylvania
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Fall 2011 Course List
Course Name Course # Section Cross– Listings Type Instructor Fulfills Meeting Time CU's Notes
Gospel MusicIn this seminar you will learn the history and culture of gospel music as an African American and contemporary African musical form. You will come to know gospel music as a written, recorded, and living musical tradition, thorugh close listening, reading and writing about, the music; and you will participate in a class research project with Philadelphia based gospel musicians. This is an academically based community service seminar. AFST 016 402 AFRC 016 MUSC 016 Sem Muller TR 10:30 AM - 12 PM 1 Freshman Seminar
World Music and 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 FOLK 022 MUSC 050 Lec Muller Cultural Diversity in US
Arts & Letters Sector		 TR 12-1:30pm 1
  AFST 050 402 AFRC 050 FOLK 022 MUSC 050 Lec Staff Cultural Diversity in US
Arts & Letters Sector		 MWF 10-11pm 1
  AFST 050 403 AFRC 050 FOLK 022 MUSC 050 Lec Staff Cultural Diversity in US
Arts & Letters Sector		 MWF 11-12pm 1
  AFST 050 404 AFRC 050 FOLK 022 MUSC 050 Lec Staff Cultural Diversity in US
Arts & Letters Sector		 MWF 12 -1pm 1
  AFST 050 405 AFRC 050 FOLK 022 MUSC 050 Lec Staff Cultural Diversity in US
Arts & Letters Sector		 MWF 1-2pm 1
  AFST 050 406 AFRC 050 FOLK 022 MUSC 050 Lec Staff Cultural Diversity in US
Arts & Letters Sector		 TR 10:30am-12pm 1
Africa Since 1800Survey of major themes, events, and personalities in African history from the early nineteenth century through the 1960s. Topics include abolition of the slave trade, European imperialism, impact of colonial rule, African resistance, religious and cultural movements, rise of naturalism and pan-Africanism, issues of ethnicity and "tribalism" in modern Africa. AFST 076 401 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Lec Cassanelli Hist & Trad Sector MW 12-1pm 0 Registration required for Lec
  AFST 076 402 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 11am-12pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 403 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 12-1pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 404 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 12-1pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 405 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 1-2pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 406 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 1-2pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 407 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 2-3pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 408 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector F 2-3pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 409 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector R 4:30-5:30pm 0 Registration required for Rec
  AFST 076 410 AFRC 076 HIST 076 Rec Staff Hist & Trad Sector R 4:30-5:30pm 0 Registration required for Rec
African Epic: Perf & PowerHomer's Iliad and Odyssey from ancient Greece and Song of Roland from medieval France are familiar landmarks in world literature. In contrast, Sunjata Epic of Mali, Mwindo Epic of Congo and more than twenty-five other heroic narrative poems throughout Africa are less known but equally valuable for accessing ancient wisdom, exploits of heroes and heroines, cultural values, knowledge systems, and supernatural realms. An additional benefit of studying African epic is that they are performed today or in living memory, so the cultural, performative, and social contexts are not obscured by centuries. These living traditions give us opportunities to more fully understand bards' roles, interaction of bard and audience, transformation from oral to written representation, and the extension of epic themes into other aspects of social life. AFST 228 601 Lec Blakely T 4:30-7:30pm New Course!
Introduction to AfricaDuring the semester we will focus on people and communties of sub-Saharan Africa and on the ways people represent, reflect on, and react to various aspects and issues in their lives and the institutions which dominate their communities. We will focus particularly on the history, contemporary expression, and inter-relationships among politics, religion, and aesthetic practice. Members of Penn's African Studies community will share their expertise with the class and introduce the University's Africa resources. Texts consist of weekly readings, films, and recordings; and class members will be expected to attend several lectures outside of class. AFST 190 401 AFRC 190 ANTH 190 HIST 190 Lec Hasty Society Sector TR 12-1:30pm 1
Religion & Colonial Rule AfricaFocus on experiences of Africans from era of the European ""Scramble for Africa"" in the 1880's to the years of independence in the 1960's, through the lens of Afircan religious practices and movements. The course's purpose: 1) to develop awareness of the wide range of meanings of conversation and peoples' motives in creating and adhering to religious organizations; 2) to examine the political, cultural, and psychological dimensions in the development of religious social movements in colonial Africa; and 3) to investigate the function of religion as instrument of cultural and political resistance to European colonial domination. We will explore the role of African Tradition Religions (ATRs), Islam, European missionaries, African churches, millenarian and reform movements, educaiton and leadership. Students will examine colonial documents, African oral traditions, spiritual songs and prayers, and contemporary religious writings to gain an understanding of the meaning of religion in African life during a period of great change on the continent. AFST 232 401 AFRC 233 HIST 232 Sem Babou R 1:30-4:30pm 1
Islam & Society AfricaThis course is designed to provide the students with a broad understanding of the history of Islam in Africa. The focus will be mostly on West Africa, but we will also look at developments in other regions of the continent. We will examine the process of islamization in Africa and the interplay between Islam and the African traditional religions and customs. Topics include conversion, Islamic education and literacy, the status of women, Muslim responses to European colonial domination, Islamic mysticism, and the contemporary development of Sunni movements. AFST 274 401 AFRC 274 HIST 275 Lec Babou Cross Cultural Analysis TR 10:30am-12pm 1
Sustainable Dev in GhanaThis course is mandatory for students participating in the International Development Summer Institute (IDSI). IDSI is a service learning and training program for undergraduates that provides students with the opportunity to have an applied learning and cultural experience in Ghana. The program consists of 5 weeks of pre-program preparation at Penn and a 4-week long training program on the campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. AFST 296 401 Sem Cassanelli 1 Department permission needed — More Info
Senior ThesisIndividual research under faculty supervision culminating in a thesis. AFST 300 0 Ind Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
N. Africa, Hist., Cult., SocThis interdisciplinary seminar aims to introduce students to the countries of North Africa, with a focus on Maghreb and Libya (1830 – present). It does so while examining the regions close economic and cultural connections to sub–Saharan Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Readings will include histories, political analysis, anthropological studies, and will cover a wide range of topics such as colonial and post–colonial experiences, developments in Islamic thought and practice, and labor migration. This class is intended for juniors, seniors, and graduate students. AFST 332 401 NELC 332 NELC 632 Sem Sharkey T 1:30pm-4pm 1 Geared toward juniors, seniors, and graduate students
Middle EgyptianIntroduction to the grammar of Middle Egyptian. AFST460 401 ANEL 460 Sem Silverman TR 1:30-4:30pm 1
Nelson Mandela WRIT 049 301 Sem S.Byala writing Requirement TR 1:30-3pm 1 Writing Seminar
Independent Study: LanguageIndividual research under faculty supervision culminating in a thesis. AFST 990 0 Ind Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Independent StudyIndividual research under faculty supervision culminating in a thesis. AFST 999 0 Ind Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Languages
Course Name Course # Section Cross– Listings Type Instructor Fulfills Meeting Time CU's Notes
Afrikaans
Elementary Afrikaans AFST 490 686 Lec Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Afrikaans AFST 492 686 Lec Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Afrikaans AFST 494 Lec Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Amharic
Elementary Amharic I AFST 240 680 AFRC 240 AFRC 540 AFST 540 NELC 481 Lec Hailu MW 5:30-7:30pm 1
Intermediate Amharic I AFST 242 680 AFRC 242 AFRC 543 AFST 543 NELC 483 Lec Hailu TR 5:30-7:30pm Prior language experience required
Advanced Amharic I AFST 247 680 AFRC 247 AFRC 548 AFST 547 Lec Hailu Cross Cultural Analysis TR 7:30-9:30pm 1 Prior language experience required
Amharic Langyage & Culture I AFST 249 680 Lec Hailu Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1 4th year language instruction
Hausa
Elementary Hausa I AFST 490 684 Lec Nwadiora TBA 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Hausa I AFST 492 684 Lec Nwadiora TBA 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Hausa I AFST 494 684 Lec Nwadiora Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1 Department permission needed
Igbo
Elementary Igbo I AFST 490 681 Lec Nwadiora TR 5-7pm 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Igbo I AFST 492 681 Lec Nwadiora MW 5-7pm 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Igbo I AFST 494 681 Lec Nwadiora Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1 Department permission needed
SETSWANA
Elementary Setswana I AFST 490 685 Lec Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Setswana I AFST 492 685 Lec Staff TBA 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Setswana I AFST 494 685 Lec Staff Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1 Department permission needed
Sudanese Arabic
Sudanese ArabicSudan is a country with a rich history and diverse cultures and people. Sudan is surrounded by nine countries. Two of Sudan's neighbors have Arabic as their official language (Egypt & Libya). While in neighboring Chad and Eritrea, Arabic is widely spoken. The only barrier that divides Sudan from Arabia is the Red Sea. Arabic is the official language of the Sudan, and Sudanese pidgin Arabic (Juba Arabic) is widely used in the southern part of the country. Sudanese colloquial Arabic has close resemblance to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic and Classic Arabic. Sudanese colloquial Arabic is also spoken and is intelligible in Eritrea, Chad, Nigeria and many places in West Africa. This course will focus on speaking, listening, reading, & writing Sudanese Arabic through the followings: 1 – Speaking: Conversing in Sudanese Arabic invarious settings. 2 – Reading & Writing: Reading and writing of Sudanese Arabic texts. 3 – Listening: Listening to various audio recordings of Sudanese Arabic in different forms and settings. AFST 548 680 ARAB 548 Lec Dinar TBA 1 Knowledge of Arabic equivalent to intermediate level and higher is required for registering for this course
SWAHILI
Elementary Swahili I AFST 180 680 AFST 580 AFRC 180 Lec Bolger TR 12-2pm 1
Intermediate Swahili I AFST 280 680 AFST 580 AFRC 280 Lec Mshomba TR 10:30am-12pm, F 3-4pm 1 Prior language experience required
Advanced Swahili I AFST 284 680 AFST 584 AFRC 284 Lec Mshomba Cross Cultural Analysis TR 9-10:30am, F 3-4 1 Prior language experience required
Swahili Language & Culture I AFST 484 680 Lec Mshomba Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1 4th Year Language Instruction
TIGRINYA
Elementary Tigrinya I AFST 490 683 Lec Zemichael TR 6-8pm 1 Department permission needed
Intermediate Tigrinya I AFST 492 683 Lec Zemichael WF 6-8pm 1 Department permission needed
Advanced Tigrinya I AFST 494 683 Lec Zemichael Cross Cultural Analysis TBA 1 Department permission needed
TWI
Elementary Twi I AFST 160 680 AFST 562 AFRC 162 Lec Donkoh TR 4:30-6:30pm 1
Intermediate Twi I AFST 262 680 AFST 566 Lec Donkoh TR 6:30-8:30pm 1 Prior language experience required
Advanced Twi I AFST 362 680 AFST 568 Lec Donkoh Cross Cultural Analysis TR 2:30-4:30 1 Prior language experience required
Wolof
Elementary Wolof I AFST 490 682 Lec Mbacke MW 5-7pm 1 Permission needed from department
Intermediate Wolof I AFST 492 682 Lec Mbacke TR 4-6pm 1 Permission needed from department
Advanced Wolof I AFST 494 682 Lec Mbacke 1 Permission needed from department
Yoruba
Elementary Yoruba I AFST 170 680 AFRC 170 AFST 517 Lec Awoyale MW 5-7pm 1
Intermediate Yoruba I AFST 270 680 AFRC 270 Lec Awoyale TR 7-9pm 1 Prior language experience required
Advanced Yoruba I AFST 370 680 AFST 587 Lec Awoyale Cross Cultural Analysis T 12-2pm; F 4-6pm 1 Prior language experience required
Yoruba Language & Culture AFST 486 680 Lec Awoyale Cross Cultural Analysis TR 3-5pm 1 4th Year Language Instruction
Zulu
Elementary Zulu I AFST 150 680 AFRC 151 AFST 552 Lec Mbeje MW 3-5pm 1
Intermediate Zulu I AFST 250 680 AFST 552 Lec Mbeje TR 3-5pm 1 Prior language experience required
Advanced Zulu I AFST 350 680 AFST 554 Lec Mbeje Cross Cultural Analysis MW 12-2pm 1 Prior language experience required

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Philadelphia, PA | 19104-6305, USA | Ph: 215.898.6971 | Fax: 215.573.7379