INST 1100 - Introduction to African Studies

• Students will be able to explain key terminology, concepts, and findings relevant to the field of African Studies.
• Students will be able to explain the primary theoretical approaches, methodological techniques, and ethical concerns in the practice and findings of African Studies.
• Students will be able to identify and interpret a range of relevant information sources in African Studies, including academic literature, oral histories, and local knowledge systems.
• Students will be able to explain how African Studies contributes to becoming an informed and globally aware citizen, including understanding Africa’s impact on the world and vice versa.
• Students will be able to ask complex questions about African cultures and develop responses that reflect multiple cultural perspectives and an understanding of African diversity.
• Students will be able to critically discuss the historical, social, and political dimensions of issues related to Africa.
• Students will be able to analyze assumptions and consider contexts when presenting positions on African topics.
• Students will be able to make informed arguments regarding African issues that recognize complexities and acknowledge limitations.
• Students will be able to critically discuss how their own identity and positionality shapes their values, assumptions, beliefs, and practices as they relate to African cultures.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of cultural differences in verbal and non-verbal communication within African contexts and negotiate shared understandings based on those differences.
• Students will be able to exercise curiosity, suspend judgment, practice empathy, and foster mutual respect and understanding as they learn about diverse African cultures.