Synopsis Learn how Africans view their own cultures and families, from the inside, by reading life histories, ethnographies and novels written by Africans themselves. You will begin to understand the different perspectives and problems of African people from several countries, from rich and poor families, and from cities and villages.
Many authors also comment on white outsiders and whites' ideas about Africa.
In class discussions, we will talk about how each author might have developed the opinions he or she expresses, and how we are developing our own points of view on these important issues. The class will cover four different African communities. For each of the four units, you will read two books and watch a video in class about a related community. You will fill out a worksheet for each book, with points we will discuss in sections for one or two weeks. There will be a quiz for each unit on the basic conditions of life in that community.