The course is designed to give students an overview of a wide scope of cultural issues African societies are facing today. It focuses on the most original cultural phenomena, which define African societies and how they evolved from precolonial times onward. The course does not follow a chronological order but uses rather a thematical approach to understand the cultural, economic and political characteristics of modern Africa. The class is run as a seminar with short lectures followed by class discussions.
Questions concerning the subject matter of the course are welcome at any time.
Students will be asked to relate their questions and comments to the assigned readings in order to facilitate productive discussion and engagement of the course materials. This is a take-home exam. There is no final exam. Students will be asked to relate their questions and comments to the assigned readings in order to facilitate productive discussion and engagement of the course materials. You may use the board, audio-visual materials, handouts, etc.