African Studies ALP

African Studies is a one-credit, one-trimester interdisciplinary elective that will meet once a week during a long period in the fall trimester of 2009. The focus of the course is the culture of West Africa, specifically the countries of Senegal and The Gambia. Topics to be addressed include language and literature, the arts, religion, history and geography, and environmental studies. The course will be taught by ARHS teachers from several departments (Oumy Cissé, Momodou Sarr, Nick Shaw, Kathy Wilkes, Samantha Camera, and Bruce Penniman) as well as guest presenters from the Five College faculty. Participants will read creative and informational texts, write informal and formal papers, and engage in a variety of discussions and projects. Here are some examples of planned class activities:

• Reading and discussion of works by Sembene Ousmane, Senegal’s leading literary artist and filmmaker, and Dayo Forster, an emerging contemporary writer from The Gambia

• Weekly practice in the fundamentals of Wolof, one of the major languages of West Africa, and discussions of the relationships between language and identity and power

• Hands-on activities on African arts and crafts, including batik-making, and exposure to influential performers from the contemporary West African music scene

• Presentations on and independent investigation of aspects of Senegambian society, including the role of religion, colonial and postcolonial history, and cultural geography

• Lessons on the natural environment of the Senegambian region, including its relationship to global issues such as sustainable economic development and global warming

• A field trip to the African market in Harlem to shop for imported goods, sample West African cooking, and meet members of the West African expatriate community.

Students will also participate in the planning for a proposed 2011 study abroad trip to Senegal and The Gambia.

Over 40 students have signed up for 15 seats in the courses. It may be offered a second time in the Spring 2010 term. If you have any questions, please contact Oumy Cissé in Room 147 or at cisseo@arps.org or Momodou Sarr in Room 146 or at sarrm@arps.org.