AFSA01H3/HISA08H3
Africa in the World: An Introduction
Fall 2024
Course Description:
This interdisciplinary course will interrogate the ways in which Africa is often conceptualized through a Western lens as the ‘dark continent’, perpetually amidst political crisis, humanitarian disaster, famine, violent ethnic conflicts, and chronic underdevelopment. The aim of this course is to introduce students to the study of Africa from an historically-rooted, contemporary perspective, to raise questions about African contributions to the history of humanity. We will engage in a wide range of themes to holistically look at African philosophical thought, political traditions, cultures, languages, state structures, national identity, political economy, and commerce to enable students to develop their reflective intellectual understandings of Africa outside the Eurocentric gaze. Topics will be presented through interactive lectures, class discussions, audiovisual technologies, and case studies.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this course, through critical readings of the literature as well as lectures, class discussions, oral presentations, and written work, the student will have achieved the following:
• An understanding of the nuances of contemporary Africa and her place in the world within the field of African studies
• An understanding of the ways in which histories of slavery, colonization, and racial violence continue to shape Africa today
• Improved critical thinking as well as oral and written communication skills
Required Readings:
There is no textbook for the course. All course readings are posted on Quercus, along with class assignments and announcements. Students are expected to read at least one class reading before coming to class each week.
Evaluation and Grading:
Participation (10%) – Your thoughtful participation in class is an important part of the learning process, both for yourself and others – including your instructors! You should come to class and assigned tutorial prepared to engage in an intelligent and thoughtful discussion of the course material. Regular attendance is obviously necessary – but is not sufficient – for participation. Students who are rude or disrespectful to their peers, the teaching assistants, or the professor will have points deducted from their participation mark. Disrespectful behaviour includes texting, surfing the net, etc. in class.
Critical Reflection paper (20%) - Students will be required to write a 4- to 5-page critical reflection paper on one of the assigned readings. Analyze the ways in which the author articulates the subject matter and how that contributes to your understanding of the African traditional thoughts and philosophies. Analyze why this topic is important in the study of Africa and her peoples from your own understanding. Engage the article and articulate your arguments well. Raise some key questions in your paper. Provide a short conclusion. Reflections will be graded based on synthesis, interpretation, and analysis of the readings.
Length: 1,000 words max. The last day to submit this essay is Wednesday, October 2,2024.
Midterm (30%) – There will be a midterm test based on readings, lectures, and class discussion. More details will be provided in class prior to the test.
Final Exam (40%) – The final exam will be comprehensive and will take place during the University’s exam period (December 6-23). Written documentation will be required to write a make-up exam.
Late Policy: The penalty for late submission of papers is two percent (2%) of the total assignment grade per weekday late.
University Disclaimer about Turnitin.com: Normally, students will be required to submit their course essays to Turnitin.com for a review of textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. In doing so, students will allow their essays to be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com reference database, where they will be used solely for the purpose of detecting plagiarism. The terms that apply to the University's use of the Turnitin.com service are described on the Turnitin.com web site.
What a Grade Means
|
Percentage
|
Letter
|
Definition
|
|
90 – 100
85 – 89
80 – 84
|
A+ A A−
|
Excellent – Strong evidence of original thinking; good
organization; capacity to analyze and synthesize; superior grasp of subject matter with sound critical evaluations; evidence of
extensive knowledge base.
|
|
77 – 79
73 – 76
70 – 72
|
B+ B B−
|
Good – Evidence of a grasp of the subject matter; some evidence of capacity and analytic ability; reasonable
understanding of relevant issues; evidence of familiarity with literature.
|
|
67 – 69
63 – 66
60 – 62
|
C+ C C−
|
Adequate – Student who is benefitting from the university
experience; basic understanding of the subject matter and
ability to develop solutions to simple problems in the material.
|
|
57 – 59
53 – 56
50 – 52
|
D+ D D−
|
Marginal – Minimal evidence of either familiarity with the subject matter or that critical and analytic skills have been developed.
|
|
0 – 49
|
F
|
Inadequate – Little evidence of even superficial understanding of subject matter; weakness in critical and analytic skills;
limited or irrelevant use of literature and other academic resources.
|
SOURCE: University of Toronto, Faculty of Arts and Science Grading Scale: http://www.artsci.utoronto.ca/newstudents/transition/academic/grading
Other Course Policies:
Respect – A primary objective of this class is to expose you to different theories in economics and diverse perspectives on development. These are inherently controversial topics, and I encourage respectful and thoughtful debate on the subject matter. This will require you to be open-minded to different perspectives and willing to question your personal convictions. I strive to create an environment in which all students feel comfortable sharing informed insights on the subject matter. Put- downs, snide remarks, and other rude behaviours will not be tolerated.
Use of Electronics – Please turn off your cellphone before entering the classroom. Laptop computers maybe used for taking notes, but please shut down all other apps at the beginning of class. You’ll survive, I promise. Students who use their electronic devices for texting, internet browsing, social media, dating apps, and other non-class purposes will have points deducted from their participation mark.
Audio and Video Recording – Video recordings of class sessions are not permitted. You may create audio recordings of the class sessions for your personal use, but please ask for my permission in advance of each class. Recordings are intended to facilitate your recall of lecture content and to enhance your understanding of the topics presented. They are not substitutes for attending class. Since other students maybe recording the class, please be aware that your voice maybe recorded by your peers during class. Please let me know if this is a concern for you.
In accordance with the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, persons with special needs will be accommodated. Students agree to the following terms when creating audio recordings of lectures: (1) recordings are not to be distributed via the Internet, peer-to-peer file sharing, or other distribution channels without the permission of the instructor; and (2) recordings are not to be shared with other classmates unless they are to be used in collaborative assignments, or if the instructor permits for other reasons.
Non-compliance with these terms violates an instructor’s intellectual property rights and the Canadian Copyright Act. Students violating this agreement will be subject to disciplinary actions under the Code of Student Conduct.
Accommodation and Accessibility – Students with diverse learning styles and needs are welcome in this course and will receive all reasonable accommodations. Accommodation is the process by which suitable arrangements are made for people with disabilities. An accommodation is any change that enables students with disabilities to participate equally in the environment and activities of either a particular class or university life in general. If you have a disability or health consideration that may require accommodations, please discuss your situation with AccessAbility Services and/or with me as soon as possible. The phone number for the AccessAbility Services Office is (416) 287-7560; you can also drop by the office, S302, inside the Resource Centre in the Science Building.