Program Overview

Africana Studies Program

Overview

The Africana Studies program offers a comprehensive exploration of the experiences, cultures, and histories of African descendants in the Americas and the Caribbean. This interdisciplinary program aims to provide students with a deeper understanding of the complexities of black experiences and their interconnectedness across the globe.

Undergraduate Program

• Why Africana Studies?
• Learning Goals
• Prospective Students
• Majors
• Minors
• Courses Schedule
• Course Descriptions
  • Overviews and Introduction
  • Black Communities Around the World/International Contexts
  • Black Sociology, Economics & Politics
  • The Black Experience Through Culture
  • Africana Experience in Science and Technology
  • Hands-On/Africana in Action
• Honors Program
• ODASIS
• African-American Alumni Association
• Advising

Course Descriptions

01:014:265 Afro-Brazilian History [CORE - HST]

• Course Code: 01:014:265
• Semester(s) Offered: Fall
• Credits: 3
• SAS Core Certified: HST The story of the oldest and largest black community of the Americas helps explain the trajectory of black experience in all American and Caribbean nations, beginning with the root causes of slavery and how race became structured into society, politics, and economies. Understanding this history also provides a comparative context for African American history and helps explain why the realities of African descendants in the Americas/Caribbean are interlinked today. As students gain a deeper understanding of how black people challenged enslavement, they will create a character based on historical background readings and submit a written description about that character. They will then plot their own slave revolt using the characters they have created. The course continues with an examination of how black Brazilians shaped their place in South America’s largest economy and how they have connected their struggles for social justice to human rights struggles around the world. The course incorporates elements of Afro-Brazilian culture like music, dance, and films to deepen understanding in a virtual excursion to Brazil.

Graduate Certificate

The program also offers a Graduate Certificate in Africana Studies, providing advanced study and specialization in the field.

People

• Core Faculty
• Department Administration
• Lecturers
• In Memoriam

News and Events

• Events
• News
• Insurgent Intersections
• The Black Ecologies Lab
• 40th Anniversary
• Gallery

Support Us

The Africana Studies program welcomes support from individuals and organizations to continue its mission of providing high-quality education and promoting research in the field of Africana Studies.