Join African Studies faculty members this spring for a diverse range of coursework.
Africa courses
DANCE 280: African Dance Techniques
Instructor: Manimou Camara
TTh | 4:30-6:20 p.m. | Location MNY 265
2-3 credits (A&H) | SLN: 13183
Course Description
Studio instruction in traditional and contemporary dance techniques of Africa and the African diaspora.
HSTAFM 151: Africa In The Era of The Atlantic Slave Trade
Instructor: Stephanie Smallwood
TTh | 3:30-5:20 p.m. | Location PAA A114
5 credits (SSc, DIV) | SLN: 15289
Course Description
Explores the African past from c. 1400 through the end of the nineteenth century. Uses the emerging evidence of historical, linguistic, and archaeological analysis to think critically about lingering notions that Africa and its peoples are static and unchanging, primitive and simple, and best understood in terms of racial difference.
HSTAFM 253: African History In Real Time
Instructor: Lynn Thomas
MW | 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. | Location CMU 228
5 credits (SSc, DIV) | SLN: 15290
Course Description
Overview of the past 150 years of African history and representations of that history, highlighting power struggles over colonialism, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, class, and sexuality. Collaborative research projects and presentations focus on placing today’s African news headlines in historical perspective.
HSTAFM 278: Modern North Africa
Instructor: Kyle Haddad-Fond
MW | 2:30-4:20 p.m. | Location TBA
5 credits (SSc, DIV) | SLN: 15291
Course Description
History of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya since the seventeenth century. Includes imperialism and local responses, development of national identities, the evolving role of Islam in politics and society, experiences of religious and ethnic minorities, impact of and on French culture, North African diaspora communities, and connections with the rest of Africa and the Middle East.
MELC 230/ RELIG 211: Introduction to Muslim Beliefs and Practices
Instructor: Lillian McCabe
MW| 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. | FSH 108
5 credits (SSc, A&H) | SLN: 17139, 19541
Course Description
Examines the origins and development of central beliefs in various Muslim traditions; such as monotheism, prophecy, divine judgment, and predestination. Looks at ritual and socio-cultural practices in Muslim societies in Asia, Africa, and Europe.
MELC 415/ MELC 567: Holy People And Holy Places Of The Horn Of Africa
Instructor: Mehari Zemelak Worku
WF | 9:30-10:50 a.m. | DEN 213
3 credits (SSc, A&H) | SLN: 21654, 21655
Course Description
Offers a comprehensive introduction to the holy men and women of the Horn of Africa, whose lives and legacies have shaped the region’s religious, political, and cultural milieu. Explores major sacred spaces and their constitutions in the region. Covers Ethiopian Christian saints to Somali Sufi mystics and Jewish Ethiopian heroes. Explores the hero formation processes in the different religious traditions of the region.
African Diaspora courses
AFRAM 150/ HSTAA 150: Introduction To African American History
Instructor: Alekzandr Wray
TTh | 4:30-6:20 p.m. | CMU 326
5 credits (SSc) | SLN: 10179, 15271
Course Description
Introductory survey of topics and problems in African American history with some attention to Africa as well as to America. Basic introductory course for sequence of lecture courses and seminars in African American history.
AFRAM 318 / ENGL 318: Black Literary Genres
Instructor: Sonnet Retman
TTh | 1:30-3:20 p.m. | MGH 251
5 credits (A&H, DIV) | SLN: 10181, 14126
Course Description
Considers how generic forms and conventions have been discussed and distributed in the larger context of African American, or other African diasporic literary studies. Links the relationship between generic forms to questions of power within social, cultural, and historical contexts.
DANCE 218: Afro-Peruvian Dance
Instructor: Monica Rojas
MW | 4:30-6:20 p.m. | MNY 267
2-3 credits (A&H) | SLN: 13173
Course Description
Covers one or more of the following Afro-Peruvian dance genres: festejo, zapateo, lando, zamacueca, and/or marinera. Studio-based course that focuses on movement practice developed by African-descent populations in the Peruvian coast. Includes an introduction to the cultural, historical, and sociopolitical context in which the dances emerged and evolved.
DANCE 236: Salsa And Afro-Caribbean Social Dance
Instructor: Juliet McMains
MWF | 2:30-4:20 p.m. | MNY 267
2-3 credits (A&H, DIV) | SLN: 13176
Course Description
Instruction in salsa and other Afro-Caribbean social dances, such as mambo, rumba, bachata, and cha cha cha, contextualized through study of dance as a site for community and individual negotiation of ethnicity, race, and gender.
DANCE 287: Capoeira
Instructor: silvio aleixo dos reis
MW | 4:30-6:20 p.m. | MNY 266
2-3 credits (A&H) | SLN: 13185
Course Description
Practice-based instruction in the Afro-Brazilian art of capoeira, including movement, music, culture, history.
DANCE 343: Hip Hop, Street, And Club Dance Culture
Instructor: Annie Franklin
MWF | 10:30-11:50 a.m. | MNY 268, 267
3 credits (DIV, A&H) | SLN: 21592
Course Description
Explores histories, philosophies, and cultures of hip hop, street, and club dances, such as social and party dances, breaking, house, waacking, vogueing, popping, and locking, that were developed by Black and Latine communities in response to systematic oppression. Combines lecture, discussion, reading, viewing, and movement practice.
DANCE 357: Diaspora Negra: Afro-Latinx Dance Traditions
Instructor: Monica Rojas
MW | 10:30 a.m-12:20 p.m. | MNY 267
3 credits (DIV, A&H) | SLN: 13194
Course Description
Explores dance traditions among various Afro-Latinx cultures, the history, politics and the role of performance in imagining, constructing and projecting identities. Through dance practice, readings and discussions students will investigate participatory vs. presentational performance and dance as a tool for activism within the larger social, political, and cultural contexts in which these traditions emerged, are practiced and continue to evolve.
MUSIC 131: History Of Jazz
Instructor: Cuong Vu
*Asynchronous
5 credits (A&H) | SLN: 17500
Course Description
Extensive overview of important musicians, composers, arrangers, and stylistic periods of jazz history from emergence of the first jazz bands at the turn of the twentieth century through post-modern bebop era of the 1990s.
Language courses
AMHAR 103 / AMHAR 513: Elementary Amharic III
Instructor: Mehari Zemelak Worku
TTh | 9:30-11:20 a.m. | SAV 136
5 credits (A&H) | SLN: 21764, 21765
Course Description
Enables students to acquire the Amharic language including its unique writing script. Familiarizes students with major historical and cultural aspects of Ethiopia. Includes multiple practice sessions targeted at developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
ARAB 103 / ARAB 513: Elementary Arabic
Instructor: Khalil Ahmed
MTWThF | 9:30-10:20 a.m. | MLR 316
MTWThF | 10:30-11:20 a.m. | SAV 138
5 credits | SLN: 10346, 10347, 10352, 10353
Course Description
Develops the four communicative language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Stresses communication skills and emphasizes the links between language and culture, using mainly Modern Standard Arabic, with exposure to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic. Third in a sequence of three.
ARAB 203 / ARAB 523: Intermediate Arabic
Instructor: Amina Moujtahid
MWF | 9:30-10:50 a.m. | SAV 136
5 credits (A&H) | SLN: 10348, 10354
Course Description
Explores aspects of Arab culture and emphasizes all skills of language acquisition: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students also learn more about Arab society in general and about features of Arab culture that influence the use of the language in daily life. Focuses on developing communication skills. Third in a sequence of three.
ARAB 303 / ARAB 533: Third Year Arabic
Instructor: Amina Moujtahid
MWF | 9:30-10:50 a.m. | SAV 136, DEN 258
5 credits (A&H) | SLN: 21467, 21503
Course Description
Helps students acquire an advanced proficiency in Arabic by focusing on developing all four skills of language acquisition: reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Explores topics related to Arabic culture, Arabic society, Arabic music and arts, and Arabic literature.
FRENCH 101: Elementary French
Instructor: Helene Collins, Irina Markina
MTWThF | 10:30-11:20 a.m. | Synchronous Online
MTWThF | 1:30-2:20 p.m. | SMI 313
5 credits | SLN: 14765, 14766
Course Description
Development of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills to a basic level of proficiency. Teaches students to communicate in French and understand the cultural context of the language. Methods and objectives are primarily oral-aural. Oral practice in the language laboratory is required. First in a sequence of three.
FRENCH 102: Elementary French
Instructor: Claire Wagenseil, Helene Collins
MTWThF | 12:30-1:20 p.m. | CHL 105
MTWThF | 1:30-2:20 p.m. | Synchronous Online
5 credits | SLN: 14767, 21380
Course Description
Development of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills to a basic level of proficiency. Teaches students to communicate in French and understand the cultural context of the language. Methods and objectives are primarily oral-aural. Oral practice in the language laboratory is required. Second in a sequence of three.
FRENCH 103: Elementary French
Instructor: Emy Chevalier, Madeline Poole, Hedwige Meyer, Claire Wagenseil
MTWThF | 9:30-10:20 a.m. | THO 331
MTWThF | 11:30 a.m-12:20 p.m. | THO 202
MTWThF | 12:30-1:20 p.m. | RAI 107
MTWThF | 1:30-2:20 p.m. | ART 006
5 credits | SLN: 14768, 14769, 14770, 14771
Course Description
Development of speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills to a basic level of proficiency. Teaches students to communicate in French and understand the cultural context of the language. Methods and objectives are primarily oral-aural. Oral practice in the language laboratory is required. Third in a sequence of three.
FRENCH 203: Intermediate French
Instructor: Hedwige Meyer
MTWThF | 11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m. | RAI 107
5 credits (A&H) | SLN: 14773
Course Description
Designed to bring students to an intermediate level of proficiency. Emphasis on experiencing the language in context through a multi-media approach. Third in a sequence of three.
SWA 103: Basic Swahili
Instructor: Jacqueline Waita
MTWThF | 11:30 a.m-12:20 p.m. | SAV 157
MTWThF | 12:30-1:20 p.m. | SAV 157
5 credits | SLN: 20260, 20261
Course Description
Introduces the Swahili language and the diverse cultures and customs of the people of East Africa. Provides a basic foundation in speaking, reading, and writing. Third in a sequence of three.
PORT 201: Intermediate Portuguese
Instructor: Felipe Carneiro de Figueredo, Eduardo Viana Da Silva
TTh | 1:30-3:20 p.m. | SAV 164
MTWThF | 11:30 a.m-12:20 p.m. | MEB 251
5 credits (A&H) | SLN: 19076, 19077
Course Description
Modern texts, compositions, conversation, and a systematic review of grammar. First in a sequence of three.
SWA 203: Intermediate Swahili
Instructor: Jacqueline Waita
MTWThF | 9:30-10:20 a.m. | SAV 158
5 credits | SLN: 20262
Course Description
Builds proficiency in the language by speaking, reading, and writing. Includes children’s stories, newspaper articles, poetry, and folklore. Third in a sequence of three.