BLCK 1101: Introduction to Black Studies

3 Credit Hours

This course provides a developmental introduction to the interdisciplinary origins and methods of Black Studies (also known as African & African Diaspora, Africana, African American, and Pan-African Studies). Students compare and contrast historical, cultural, economic, and social phenomena in Africa to African-descended people in the Americas, Europe, Oceania and Asia. Students learn about Black Studies as a field of intellectual inquiry and key contributions of pioneers from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds.

Course Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

Demonstrate knowledge of interdisciplinary approaches to the study of historical and contemporary issues within Black Studies.
Demonstrate knowledge of some key events, processes, and figures that have shaped the experiences of African and African Diaspora communities.
Communicate effectively about Africa, the African Diaspora, and their intersections both orally and in writing.
Identify and describe some of the major contributions made by African and African Diaspora peoples/ communities to global society and human culture.
Demonstrate knowledge of the literary, historical, political, aesthetic, and socio-cultural convergences between Africans in Africa and Africans in the Diaspora.
Demonstrate socio-cultural awareness and interact effectively in a globally connected world.
Develop an interdisciplinary project incorporating historical and contemporary Black Studies perspectives in the “real world.”
Describe key events, processes, and figures that have shaped the experiences of African and African Diaspora communities.
Communicate effectively about Africa, the African Diaspora, and their intersections both orally and in writing.
Identify and describe some of the major contributions made by African and African Diaspora peoples/ communities to global society and human culture.
Explain the literary, historical, political, aesthetic, socio-cultural, and technological convergences between Africans in Africa and Africans in the Diaspora.
Identify strategies for socio-cultural awareness and an ability to interact effectively in a globally connected world.