UC Davis 2008-2010 General Catalog - General Catalog - UC Davis

128 African American and African Studies
African American
and African Studies
(College of Letters and Science)
Moradewun Adejunmobi, Ph.D., Director
Program Office. 2201 Hart Hall
(530) 752-1548; http://cougar.ucdavis.edu/aas
Committee in Charge
Christine Acham, Ph.D.
(African American and African Studies)
Moradewun Adejunmobi, Ph.D.
(African American and African Studies)
Milmon Harrison, Ph.D.
(African American and African Studies)
Bettina Ng'weno, Ph.D.
(African American and African Studies)
Halifu Osumare, Ph.D.
(African American and African Studies)
Patricia A. Turner, Ph.D.
(African American and African Studies)
Faculty
Christine Acham, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Moradewun Adejunmobi, Ph.D., Professor
Milmon F. Harrison, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Bettina Ng'weno, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Halifu Osumare, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Patricia A. Turner, Ph.D., Professor
Emeriti Faculty
John Stewart, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus
Affiliated Faculty
Kristee Haggins, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor
The Major Program
African American and African Studies is a field of
study in the humanities, arts, and social sciences that
provides students with a multi-disciplinary learning
experience. In addition to courses offered within
African American and African Studies, students have
the option of taking selected courses in other programs
and departments that complement courses
offered within African American and African Studies.
Majors and minors are also encouraged to take
advantage of internship opportunities.
The Program. The purpose of this program is to
give students a sense of the individual characteristics
and common concerns of Black communities in
Africa, the United States, and in the wider Diaspora.
The African American emphasis includes courses on
history, culture, and the impact of developments in
politics and the economy on the social organization
of Black people in the United States. The African
Diaspora emphasis enables students to study the
way Black communities outside Africa and the
United States have dealt with questions of race and
ethnicity. It also considers how they have defined
their identity in the political arena as well as by
using religion, theater and dance, literature and film.
The African emphasis allows students to focus on
Africa's recent history, social issues, and contemporary
culture.
Career Alternatives. Students completing the
African American and African Studies major are
well prepared for graduate study in psychology, education,
sociology, human development, history, etc.
Majors in African American and African Studies can
also pursue professional training in fields such as
pharmacy, medicine, or law. Graduates with this
major have also pursued employment opportunities
in the federal and state government, in international
development agencies, in human service units, in
county social service programs, and counseling services.
African American and African Studies is also
an appropriate background for work in community
organizations like the Urban League, NAACP,
Urban Affairs, and the Office of Economic Opportunity,
and for teaching at all levels.
A.B. Major Requirements:
The major program must be developed in consultation
with an African American and African Studies
faculty member, and approved by the program’s
Major Adviser.
UNITS
Preparatory Subject Matter .................. 28
One course from African American and
African Studies 10, 12 ........................... 4
One course from African American and
African Studies 15, 50, 51, 52, 80 ......... 4
One course from Anthropology 2; Economics
1A, 1B; Geography 2; Sociology 1; Political
Science 1, 2; Psychology 1 ..................... 4
One course from Chicana/o Studies 10;
Native American Studies 1, 10;
American Studies 10; Asian American
Studies 1, 2........................................... 4
Two courses from History 15, 17A,
17B...................................................... 8
Four units from African American and African
Studies 16, 51, 54, 154, 155A, Dramatic
Art 41A, 41B, Music 28, 105, 106 ......... 4
Depth Subject Matter ............................ 36
One course from African American and
African Studies 100, 101, 107A, 107B,
107C, 110, 145B, 180 ......................... 4
One course from African American and
African Studies 150A, 150B, 151, 152,
155A, 156, 157, 160, 170, 171, 175A,
175B, 181, 185.................................... 4
One course from African American and
African Studies 111, 123, 130, 133, 141,
145A, 156, 162, 163, 165, 172 ........... 4
A coordinated program of upper division
courses, selected and approved in
consultation with the major adviser and
chosen to reflect the student's major
emphasis............................................. 24
Possible areas of emphasis include the
following: Creative arts in the black
community worldwide, social and political
trends in the global black community,
African American society and culture,
Africa, African Diasporas. These areas of
emphasis are offered as guidelines for
students in the major. They are not the only
areas of emphasis that students may choose
for the major.
Related Upper Division Courses
The following courses are offered by faculty members
in other disciplines and focus on African American
studies, African diaspora studies, or African
studies.
American Studies 156; Anthropology 104N,
139AN, 140A, 140B; Art History 150;
Community and Regional Development 151,
151L, 152, 153, 172; Comparative
Literature 154, 165; English 167, 178, 179,
181A, 181B; History 102 (O), 115A, 115B,
115C, 115D, 116, 177A, 177B, 178A,
178B; Political Science 134, 149, 176;
Sociology 128, 129, 130, 134, 137, 143A,
145A, 145B, 130; Dramatic Art 155A;
Women's Studies 160, 178C, 180, 182.
Total Units for the Major ....................... 64
Major Adviser. C. Acham
Minor Program Requirements:
UNITS
African American and African Studies... 24
Select one course from African American and
African Studies 10, 12, 15, 17, or 80 ..... 4
Select any five upper division courses offered
in African American and African Studies, but
not including African American and African
Studies 154.
Note: Although a course may be listed more than
once, such a course may satisfy only one requirement.
American History and Institutions. This University
requirement can be satisfied by completion of
African American Studies 10, 100; see also under
University Requirements, on page 90.
Courses in African American and
African Studies (AAS)
Lower Division Courses
10. African-American Culture and Society
(4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Critical examination
of the historical, political, social, and economic
factors that have affected the development
and status of African-American people in contemporary
society. GE credit: Div.—I. Harrison
12. Introduction to African Studies (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Introduction to African
Studies which will focus on the various disciplinary
perspectives through which African society and culture
are generally studied. A survey of methods,
resources and conceptual tools for the study of
Africa. GE credit: ArtHum, Div, Wrt.—II. (II.)
Adejunmobi
15. Introduction to African American
Humanities (4)
Lecture—3 hours; discussion—1 hour. Introduction to
the humanist tradition developed by writers, philosophers,
and artists of African descent in the West.
Attention given to African sources, as well as European,
Caribbean, Latin-American, and North American
variations on this tradition. GE credit: ArtHum,
Div, Wrt.—I. (I.) Harrison, Osumare
16. Verbal and Performance Arts in Africa
(4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. African verbal arts;
oral texts from different African cultures. Types of critical
response to oral texts, role of oral artists, context
and esthetics of oral performance in Africa. GE
credit: ArtHum, Div, Wrt.—II. (II.) Adejunmobi
17. Women in African Societies (4)
Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Gender relations in traditional
and contemporary African society. Involvement
of African women in politics, religion, the
economy, the arts. African responses to feminist theory.
Images of women in African literature. GE
credit: Div, Wrt.—I. (I.) Adejunmobi
50. Black Images in Popular Culture (4)
Lecture—2 hours; discussion—2 hours. A survey of
the depictions of Blacks in popular culture (popular
press, stage, radio, film, television, advertising) from
the middle of the sixteenth century to the present. GE
credit: ArtHum, Div, Wrt.—III. (III.) Turner, Acham
51. History of Afro American Dance (4)
Lecture—2 hours; discussion—2 hours. Evolution of
African American dance, tracing its history and
development from West Africa through the Caribbean
and to the United States. Investigates the social
relevance of African American dance and the artistic
merits and contributions of African American choreographers
and performers.—III. (III.) Osumare
52. African Traditional Religion (4)
Lecture—2 hours; discussion—2 hours. Introduction
to the traditional religions of the sub-Saharan African
peoples: emphasis on myths, rituals and symbols in
West, East, Central and South African indigenous
religions. Examines themes such as sacred kingship,
divination system, women, prophecy, conversion
and adaptation to Islam and Christianity. GE credit:
ArtHum, Div, Wrt.—II. (II.) Olupona
54. University Gospel Choir (2)
Rehearsal—4 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor;
open to any student in the university. Rehearsal,
study, and performance of Gospel music. May be
repeated for credit. (Same course as Music 54.) (P/
NP grading only.)—I, II, III. (I, II, III.) Lymos
80. Introduction to Black Politics (4)
Lecture—4 hours. Introduction to the analysis of Afro-
American politics, using conceptual frameworks
from political science and other social sciences. GE
credit: SocSci, Div, Wrt.—III. (III.) Harrison
Quarter Offered: I=Fall, II=Winter, III=Spring, IV=Summer; 2009-2010 offering in parentheses
General Education (GE) credit: ArtHum=Arts and Humanities; SciEng=Science and Engineering; SocSci=Social Sciences; Div=Social-Cultural Diversity; Wrt=Writing Experience