AFS 200 Introduction to African Studies Not offered this year
SA
An exploration of the past, present, and future of Africa in a multidisciplinary setting. A dozen Africanist faculty members collaborate in an effort to shed light on both the huge potential of Africa and its peoples and the enormous challenges the continent faces. Topics vary from politics, economics, conservation, biodiversity, climate change, the environment, health and disease, and written and oral literature, to the impact of the world on Africa as well as Africa's contributions to and place in worlds present and past. Two lectures, one preceptorial.
Instructed by: Staff
AFS 206 Human Evolution (See ANT 206)
AFS 239 Introduction to African Literature and Film (See COM 239)
AFS 241 The Golden Rhinoceros: Histories of the African Middle Ages (See COM 241)
AFS 245 Picturing Africa. Multicultural Visions for a Global Youth (See FRE 245)
AFS 250 The Mother and Father Continent: A Global History of Africa (See HIS 250)
AFS 251 Indigenous North Africa: Amazigh Communities (See NES 251)
AFS 258 Music of Africa (See MUS 258)
AFS 260 Introduction to African Art (See ART 260)
AFS 261 Art and Politics in Postcolonial Africa (See ART 261)
AFS 262 Languages of Africa (See LIN 260)
AFS 265 Global Popular Music (See MUS 265)
AFS 300 Landscapes of Development (See ARC 321)
AFS 303 Governing Post-Colonial Africa: Family, Religion, and the State Spring
SA
The seminar addresses the structural consequences and responses that African nations and communities developed upon their insertion into global political and economic practice and discourse. Africa's character prior to modern nationhood forms the backdrop to discussions of the development and utilization of social, political, and economic strategies for continued participation in global political and economic intercourse. Themes include: traditional religious practice and the church; global economic interactions; African interstate relations; governance, regime change, and elections; wars and displacement; and women in society.
Instructed by: C. Agawu
AFS 309 Topics in Contemporary Italian Civilization (See ITA 309)
AFS 310 Development Aid in Sub-Saharan Africa: Rogues, Benefactors and Recipients Spring
SA
Sub-Saharan Africa's record on the use of development aid has been at best mixed. It has received about $1 trillion in foreign assistance since 1960. In the early 1980s, three world regions, Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia had over 50% of their populations living in extreme poverty. Thirty odd years later, Sub-Saharan Africa's figures have barely shifted; they went down from 53% to only 47% in 2011. East Asia and Pacific, and South Asia regions also received substantial assistance and have significantly reduced extreme poverty among their populations. Critics of foreign assistance decry such assistance.
Instructed by: C. Agawu
AFS 312 Documentary Filmmaking in Kenya (See GLS 312)
AFS 313 Precolonial Africa (See HIS 314)
AFS 314 The Anthropology of Development (See ANT 314)
AFS 316 Colonial and Postcolonial Africa (See HIS 315)
AFS 318 Literature, Landscape and Place-Making in the African Environmental Imagination (also ) Spring
Little writing from Africa conforms to Western understandings of nature writing or mainstream environmentalism. But does that mean that African authors are disinterested in environmental questions? How do African authors represent their relationship to the land and non-human organisms? This seminar will explore acts of environmental imagination by African novelists from around the continent; organized roughly by biome. We will also discuss writerly approaches to environmental activism on the continent. The course will aid students ability to think, speak and write critically about African literature, the environment and relations of power. Instructed by: M. Arenberg
AFS 330 Landmarks of French Culture (See FRE 330)
AFS 350 Studies in African Performance (See MUS 350)
AFS 354 Contemporary Issues in African Societies (See SOC 354)
AFS 355 Sex, Gender, and Desire in Francophone Africa (See FRE 355)
AFS 366 Politics in Africa (See POL 366)
AFS 400 Topics in African Studies Not offered this year
Designed to allow juniors and seniors enrolled in the program to examine significant problems in Africa in an interdisciplinary manner. Topics vary from year to year, reflecting faculty research interests. Prerequisite: one core course and one cognate course, or instructor's permission. Required of all program concentrators; open to others by permission of program director and course instructor.
Instructed by: Staff
AFS 401 Global Health in Africa (See GHP 401)
AFS 405 Topics in Anthropology (See ANT 405)
AFS 411 Art, Apartheid, and South Africa (See AAS 411)
AFS 412 Human Trafficking and its Demise: African and European Slaves in Modern Islam (16th-21st century) (See NES 395)
AFS 416 Topics in Postcolonial Literature (See ENG 417)
AFS 424 The History of Christianity in Africa: From St. Mark to Desmond Tutu (See HIS 423)
AFS 427 Conflict in Africa
Examines selected aspects on conflict in Africa. The concept "conflict" is used to mean organized and/or collective political violence that causes the death of about 1,000 people per year. The course will focus on the following issues: analytical debates about conflicts in Africa; actors/participants such as guerrillas, warlords, and child soldiers; continental politics about conflict; the politics of humanitarian intervention; wars in the Great Lakes Region; the war and warlords of West Africa; the genocide in Rwanda, and the aftermath of wars, especially those of Southern Africa. One three-hour seminar.
Instructed by: A. Seegers
AFS 435 Gender and Sexuality in African History (See COM 434)
AFS 450 Critical African Studies Fall
Critical African Studies is a colloquium designed as a capstone course for African Studies Certificate students. The course is designed to introduce students to cutting-edge scholarship in African Studies. Students engage with African Studies scholars from Princeton University and beyond. In addition to attending the African Studies Lecture Series and Works-in-Progress series, students in Critical African Studies will workshop their junior or senior independent research. This capstone course is open to junior and senior certificate students and must be taken to fulfill the African Studies Certificate requirements.
Instructed by: C. Rouse
AFS 453 Rituals of Governing (See ANT 453)
AFS 472 White Hunters, Black Poachers: Africa and the Science of Conservation (See HIS 473)
AFS 474 Art and Politics in Postcolonial Africa (See ART 474)
SWA 101 Elementary Swahili I Fall
An introduction to Kiswahili language and culture. Focuses on the development of the communication skills students need to interact with Swahili speakers. Instruction emphasizes cultural themes and experiential activities that enhance the four components of speaking, writing, listening, and reading. Students will also gain some insight into the cultures of East Africa. Four classes. No credit is given for SWA 101 unless followed by SWA 102.
Instructed by: M. Mwita
SWA 102 Elementary Swahili II Spring
Continuation of SWA 101. Emphasis is on increasing proficiency in reading and listening comprehension, speaking, and writing. Cultural contexts of the East African societies where Swahili is spoken are incorporated in classroom activities in order to enhance communication and cultural proficiency. Prerequisite: SWA 101. Four classes.
Instructed by: M. Mwita
SWA 105 Intermediate Swahili I Fall
This second-year Swahili course focuses on enhancing the communicative skills acquired in the first year. Instruction emphasizes reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The course infuses cultural and sociopolitical aspects of life in East Africa with more complex grammatical concepts such as the subjunctive, grammar infixes, and relative clauses. Prerequisites: SWA 101 and 102, or instructor's permission. Four classes.
Instructed by: M. Mwita
SWA 107 Intermediate Swahili II Spring
Emphasizes conversational fluency and increased facility in reading and writing skills while introducing students to Swahili literature. This literature forms the basis for a survey of cultural issues and more advanced grammar. Students will be able to understand and analyze the main ideas and significant details of materials in Swahili such as media articles, short stories, poetry, short novels, films, and plays. Covers advanced-level Swahili grammar, as well as the development of expository writing skills. Prerequisite: SWA 105, or instructor's permission. Four classes.
Instructed by: M. Mwita
TWI 101 Elementary Twi I Fall
An introduction to Twi language and culture of the Akan-Twi-speaking people of West Africa. The course is taught in Twi and focuses on acquiring novice-level skills to perform basic communication functions in the culture of Akan-Twi speakers of West Africa. Students will be introduced to basic grammar, communicative skills and cultural activities that will be reinforced through role plays, conversations, dialogues and songs. By the end of the course, students will have acquired basic grammar competence to perform in everyday situations with an understanding and appreciation of the culture of the Akan people in Ghana, West Africa.
Instructed by: H. Essien
TWI 102 Elementary Twi II Spring
This course is a continuation of Twi 101 and continues to focus on the communicative approach to studying the language. It includes specific socio-cultural settings and events. Speaking, reading, writing and listening continue to form an integral part of the course and students will build on their grammatical skills. By the end of the course, learners are expected to reach proficiency level ranging between Novice High and Intermediate Low.
Instructed by: H. Essien
TWI 105 Intermediate Twi I Fall
This course is a continuation of TWI 102. It builds on the basic Twi structures acquired in TWI 101 and TWI 102 through oral and listening activities. Students will continue to build on their vocabulary through readings of short stories. It continues to focus on communicative skills and cultural awareness. By the end of the course, learners are expected to reach proficiency level ranging between Intermediate Low and Intermediate Mid.
Instructed by: H. Essien
TWI 107 Intermediate Twi II Spring
This course expands on the language skills acquired from TWI 105 and continues to focus on the communicative approach to studying the language. It includes specific socio-cultural settings and events. Speaking, reading, writing and listening continue to form an integral part of the course and students will build on their grammatical skills. By the end of the course, learners are expected to reach proficiency level ranging between Novice High and Intermediate Low.
Instructed by: H. Essien
