Black/African American Courses

AFAM 100: Introduction to African Studies
An interdisciplinary approach to modern and traditional aspects of African life in the fields of history, geography, politics, ethnography, and socio-economic development. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. This course is also offered as AFRI 100.

AFAM 170: Introduction to African American Studies
Introduces the aims and objectives of African American Studies. A critical examination of the African American experience and its antecedents. This includes an assessment of how the dominant society impacts African Americans, including such factors as racism, poverty, and the current social/economic status of African Americans. Africa's contributions to the world are included. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course.

AFAM 211: Sport, Power, and African American Athletes
This course examines the significance and impact of Black athletes on the culture, economy, race relations, and internal dynamics of the United States. Historic in scope, the role of Black athletes and members of the USA's various Black communities are examined with particular emphasis on key sports such as boxing, baseball, basketball, football, gymnastics, and track and field. The emergence of Black women in modern athletics also receives careful review in addition to Black gay and lesbian athletes' voices on their dual sexual and racial identities. These issues and other sports-contextual situations are analyzed critically as we uncover the complexities of African Americans and class, gender, sexuality, and sport.

AFAM 231: African American History
An examination of the origins of black people, their history, philosophies, ideas, religions, social values, and the way in which these aspects of culture are interrelated. Emphasis is on the critical analysis of eighteenth-, nineteenth-, twentieth-century events, personalities, and philosophies which resulted in the major economic, political, and social problems facing African Americans and other ethnic minorities today. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. This course is also offered as HIST 231.

AFAM 296: African American Music
A historical survey from the African heritage and Colonial times to the present. The types, forms, and styles of African American music are studied in relation to the African American experience. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. This course is also offered as MUSC 296.

AFAM 320: Hip Hop Culture
Exploration of the many changes and challenges Hip-Hop Culture has undergone since the late 1970's and the introduction of "Rapper's Delight". Focus on the gradual emergence of five elements of the culture: 1) Graffiti writing, 2) DJing, 3) Break Dancing, 4) Rapping, and 5) the "culture of Hip-Hop, including Hip-Hop language, clothing, hair, and artifacts such as hats, jewelry, and clothing brands. Critique of the most controversial figure in the history of Hip-Hop, Tupac Shakur. Analysis of the themes of misogyny, homophobia, sexism, gang affiliation, gun violence, drugs, police brutality, and social activism. Course format is lecture, discussion, and video screening/analysis, with writing and oral presentation components.

AFAM 355: The Sociology of African Americans
This course examines the historical and social experiences that have shaped contemporary African American life, such as slavery, exploitation, oppression, and resistance (for example, the Civil Rights movement, the Black Power movement, and Hip Hop). Strategies for researching African American experiences are learned through analysis of Black popular culture, male/female relationships, urbanization, religion, and institutional racism. This course is also offered as SOCI 355. Formerly AFAM 455.

AFAM 398: Special Topics
This course is for special topics offered for 1.0-3.0 units. Typically the topic is offered on a one-time-only basis and may vary from term to term and be different for different sections. See the Class Schedule(opens in new window) for the specific topic being offered.

AFAM 498: Special Topics
This course is for special topics offered for 1.0-3.0 units. Typically the topic is offered on a one-time-only basis and may vary from term to term and be different for different sections. See the Class Schedule(opens in new window) for the specific topic being offered.

MCGS 155: Introduction to Multicultural and Gender Studies
An introduction to the concepts, terminology, and issues in multicultural and gender studies, including exploration of America's multicultural history, gender as an element of culture, and contemporary issues in the field. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course.

MCGS 324: Religion and America's Ethnic Minorities
An exploration of the religions which inform America's ethnic minorities. The historical, cultural, and social experiences and values of Native American, Hispanic American, African American, Pacific Islander, and Asian American ethnic minority groups will be examined. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. This course is also offered as RELS 324.

MCGS 327: The Politics of Race and Ethnicity in the United States
Analysis of the role of race and ethnicity in the American political process, including a critique of their role in local, state, and national elections. Factors accounting for participation and non-participation will be analyzed. This is an approved US Diversity course. This course is also offered as POLS 327.

MCGS 330: Sociology of Gender
This course examines gender as a social construct and its influences on men and women in families, school, work, politics, and culture. The focus is on how gender varies in relation to ethnicity, race, sexuality, and social class. This course is also offered as SOCI 330.

MCGS 341: Cross-Cultural Psychology
This course focuses on the importance and various influences of culture on human behavior. Beginning with an examination of theoretical definitions of culture, the course covers a broad range of research that highlights the contributions of cross-cultural psychology to the understanding of human behavior within and between cultures. In addition, conceptual, methodological, and practical issues in cross-cultural research and applications are covered. This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved Global Cultures course. This course is also offered as PSYC 341.

MCGS 350: Ethnic and Race Relations
This course examines the social construction of race, and studies ethnic and racial relations in the United States, looking at variations by class, gender, and immigration experiences. Students analyze interpersonal relationships between racial and ethnic groups, discrimination, resistance, social movements, and governmental policies This is an approved General Education course. This is an approved US Diversity course. This course is also offered as SOCI 350.

ARTH 476: African Art
An investigation of the arts and cultures of the African continent, with major emphasis upon the Negroid peoples south of the Sahara, the medieval kingdoms of the Sudan and the rain forest cultures and great civilizations of Ife, Benin, and the Congo, the sculpture, painting, body art, architecture, music, dance, belief systems, the aural tradition of folklore, and reciprocal influences with other continents will be considered.

MUSC 293: History of Jazz
The historical and philosophical study of jazz from its African origins to the various forms in which it exists today.

HIST 370: African History Before 1800
Peoples, cultures, and economic systems of Africa before 1800, with emphasis on agricultural history, long-distance trade, state formation, and African religions.

HIST 371: African History After 1800
Africa since 1800. Establishment and demise of European colonial regimes, African resistance to foreign domination, African political systems, dilemmas of socio-economic development, and gender differences in modern African life.

HIST 372: History of South Africa
Examines historical interactions between African societies and European settler communities, racism and economic oppression under apartheid, international involvement in the region, and African nationalist organizations.

POLS 415B: Comparative Government: Africa
Comparative analysis of selected black African countries. Varying patterns of traditional culture, colonialism, and independence movements will be presented. Other themes to be stressed include methods of disengagement from neo-imperialistic controls since independence.

POLS 446B: International Relations of Africa
Analysis of the foreign policies of Sub-Saharan nations, including Neocolonialism, Pan-Africanism, regionalism, development, apartheid, African Liberation Movements, and China in Africa.