Fall. Credit, four hours. This course introduces students to the multiple disciplines that comprise the field of African American studies and the most salient themes and topics that continue to guide scholars’ research interests.
Spring. Credit, three hours. This course presents a chronological overview of the primary genres of African American music, from antebellum formations to current manifestations. Bringing together music analyses and ethnography, privileging the music-maker's voice, this course yields a rich tapestry of African American culture and history. Topics explored include genre classification, musical features, and the aesthetics of style; oral vs. written traditions; musical transformation and representation; and inter- and intra-cultural interactions. Central themes addressed throughout the course include issues of race, class, identity, authenticity, gender, and meaning. (Cross-listed with Music 202)
Fall. Credit, four hours. An overview of African American literature since 1900. Study of the major contributors to each period in the genres of fiction, essay, poetry, and nonfiction.
TBA. Credit, one to four hours. Wide range of topics pertinent to the African American experience.
TBA. Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: Political Science 101. Comprehensive examination of African American politics and its critical influence upon the American political system. Civil rights and black power movements; the voting rights act and redistricting; African American political participation, attitudes, and governance. (Cross-listed with Political Science 346).
TBA. Credit, one to four hours. This course explores one of a wide range of topics pertaining to the African American experience in the fields of human and civil rights, social and literary texts, and the social sciences.
