courses of instruction - Lafayette College

AFRICANA STUDIES
experience in its global context. As such, it
is most immediately focused on the expo
sure of students to the life experiences of
blacks from a variety of perspectives so
that they become familiar with a broad
range of fact and opinion about these ex
periences. The course reflects a strong
multidisciplinary perspective in address
ing topics and issues. Offered in fall se
mester. Mr. Opoku, Mr. McCartney
213. Racism and Sexism. This course uses
a multidisciplinary perspective to focus on
the interplay of race, class, gender, and
sexual orientation in American society.
Readings include students' personal ac
counts of experiences of racism and sex
ism and academic analyses of the dynam
ics of oppression. A variety of teaching
and learning styles is used, but emphasis
is on discussion of readings and their con
nections to personal experiences. The goal
is to help students articulate their under
standing of how oppression has affected
their lives as well as the lives of others. Of
fered in fall semester. Ms Nixon
307. Black Social and Political Thought.
This course examines the complexity of
ideas of black leaders in Africa, the Carib
bean, and the Americas, including Kwame
Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, Nelson Mande
la, Marcus Garvey, George Padmore,
W.E.B. DuBois, Martin Luther King, Mal
colm X, Elijah Mohammed, and Jesse Jack
son. Theories and thoughts presented both
in scholarly formats and in nonformal
fashion in everyday life are examined in a
way that makes them not less powerful or
rigorous but accessible. The course reflects
diverse theoretical traditions such as Afro-
centric philosophy, liberal and conserva
tive thought, capitalist and Marxist social
thought, sociology of knowledge, postmod
ernism, etc. Prerequisite: AFS 211. Staff
325. Global Africa: Comparative Black
Experience. This course combines the
study of Africa with the study of the two
diasporas. The Diaspora of Enslavement
concerns slaves and descendants of slaves
in both the Western and Eastern Diaspora.
The Diaspora of Colonization concerns
demographic dispersal as a result of colo
nialism. African Americans are in their
majority part of the diaspora of enslave
ment. Recent African immigrants into
France are part of the Diaspora of Coloni
zation. Jamaicans and Trinidadians in Brit
ain are a double diaspora products of
both enslavement and colonialism. The
course examines black genesis from Afri
ca, comparative slavery, emancipation and
reconstruction, comparative liberation
from colonialism, and other areas of con
vergence in African and Diaspora Studies.
Prerequisite: AFS 211. Staff
360. Racial Identity Development
A course on the major issues in personali
ty development and socialization of Afri
can Americans. Students are guided
through a selective review of current racial
identity trends (including strengths and
difficulties) in the African American com
munity. Environmental and intrapsychic
factors that contribute to these trends are
identified, and strategies for effectively
addressing these issues are discussed. Em
phasis is given to the issues of racial and
cultural identity development among Af
rican Americans. Students are exposed to
strategies for developing a healthy racial
identity. Preference given to seniors and
juniors. Offered in spring semester.
Ms. Richardson
380. Africana Studies Internship. Provides
opportunities for the practical application
of theory and real-world problem-solving
techniques. A limited number of students
are placed in a community outreach center,
business organization, or governmental
agency to carry out an organized and super
vised program of study and research under
a designated internship sponsor. Interactive
learning and research projects are selected
to provide in-depth exposure to the creative
analytical capacities, critical thinking, and
problem-solving techniques necessary for
finding solutions to actual concerns. Prereq
uisites: AFS 101,211, or permission of in
structor. Mr. Ahene, Mr. McCartney