The African Studies Concentration invites faculty across all departments and divisions to reflect on their disciplines’ intersections with Blackness, Africanness, and diaspora. Faculty are encouraged to consult with the director of African Studies, Dr. Dominique Somda, about their course offerings and to submit courses for consideration to dominique.somda@kzoo.edu.

Definition of the field  

African Studies is an interdisciplinary field focusing on: 

• The study of Africa and people of African descent, both on the continent and throughout the diaspora. 

• Perspectives and experiences in diasporic and post-imperial contexts. 

• Representations of and connections to the African continent. 

• Temporal and geographic extensions of African experiences. 

The field intersects with other areas, including (but not limited to): 

• Africana Studies 

• Global Black Studies 

• African American Studies 

• Afro-Latin American Studies 

Core Principles 

Approaching critically existing categories: 

• Recognition of intersections between Blackness and Africanness, especially within racializing contexts of colonization and enslavement. 

• Commitment to addressing colonial legacies in representations and narratives about Africa, with an aim to disrupt and critically reassess them. 

• A critical approach to the geopolitical and ethno-racial constructs, aiming to de-naturalize and historically contextualize them. 

Centering African experiences and epistemologies:

• Countering existing asymmetries in knowledge production by foregrounding African perspectives and scholarship. 

• Recognition of Africa as an active site of knowledge production, not merely an object of study. 

• Provision of significant African-authored texts and resources. 

• Active inclusion of African voices in course discussions, assignments, and material. 

Course Eligibility 

Courses may be listed as contributing if they: 

• Cover significant aspects of African humanities or social sciences. 

• Engage with African Studies as defined by this document. 

• Demonstrate a strong connection to African experiences, peoples, or contexts. 

 

Listing Process 

Faculty wishing to have a course listed as contributing should email the Director of African Studies with: 

• A course description. 

• An explanation of how the course aligns with African Studies principles. 

• Relevant course materials or syllabus (if available). 

The core faculty of the African Studies concentration will review the submitted materials. 

Contact 

Send contributing requests to dominique.somda@kzoo.edu