Mac/2003/Anth258

from the Macalester Public Knowledge Base

Peoples and Cultures of Africa-Draft Anthropology 258 Fall 2003

Time: MWF—3:30-4:30 Place: Carnegie 005

Dianna Shandy Office: Carnegie 04A Phone: 651-696-6439 Email: shandy@macalester.edu Office Hours: M 2:30-3:30; W 4:30-5:30; 6:15-6:45 (and by appointment) Preceptor: Olivia Sanders, osanders@macalester.edu

This course surveys the variety of cultures, institutions, and processes of transforming African societies from an anthropological perspective. We draw on classic and contemporary ethnographies to explore the range of social, economic, political, and religious arrangements on the African continent. We examine continuity and transformation by probing enduring bonds, such as kinship, as well as catalysts of change, such as formal schooling. We single out gender and transformations in power and authority for special consideration. Using what we learn about African institutions and the bases of social relationships, we will explore African approaches to contemporary challenges, such as AIDS, child malnutrition, international development initiatives, and war. We will view select ethnographic and feature films, and follow current events insofar as they relate to course material to expand our body of course resources. Similarly, we will seek to enhance our awareness of the ways in which Africa is constructed and how those perceptions influence thinking about Africa.

Texts available in Ruminator Books:

• Barnes, Virginia Lee. 1994. Aman The Story of a Somali Girl. New York: Vintage Books. • Gordon, April A. and Donald L. Gordon. Eds. 2001. Understanding Contemporary Africa. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers. • Jok, Jok Madut. 2001, War and Slavery in Sudan. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. • Ngugi wa Thiong’o, A Grain of Wheat. Heinemann.

Reserve Readings: Where possible, texts listed above have been placed on reserve in the library. Additional materials, which appear below, also have been placed on reserve in the library. The notation  indicates that the material was placed on electronic reserve in the library. In the event that an electronic copy of the reading is unavailable, there is a black binder on the table outside of my office with a copy of readings.

• Syllabus is subject to modification. This applies particularly to e-reserve materials. Changes will be announced in class. • Regular student attendance is required in all course activities, including films and discussions. It is not possible to schedule repeat screenings for most of the films.

Week 1: Introduction: Africa Imagined/Unlearning Africa Wed., 9/3 Overview of Course, Exercise, Video clip: Dateline on South Africa Read: McGeary and Michaels, “Africa Rising” (handout)

Fri., 9/5 African Physical Geography, Peopling of Africa, Adaptive Strategies Read: Gordon and Gordon, “Introduction,” and Neff, “Africa: A Geographic Preface” in Gordon and Gordon (hereafter G and G), pp. 1-53.

Optional: Map question will appear on all of the exams for this course. Paste this website into your browser for an interactive approach to learning the map of the African continent: www.yourchildlearns.com/puzzle_afr.htm.

Week 2: Historical Context M/W, 9/8-10 African History: Pre-Colonial, Colonial, Post-Colonial Read: O’Toole, “The Historical Context,” in G and G, p. 23-54.

Assignment 1: Due 9/12. Scan syllabus, books, and electronic reserve materials, as available, assigned for this course. For Friday, identify one or two topics that grabbed your attention. Type up a brief, but developed, paragraph posing at least one question about what interested you. Consider this a draft of a potential research paper topic.

Thur., 9/11 African Film Screening, 7-9 p.m. in Car. 006. "Lumumba."

Fri., 9/12 Read: Shanklin, Eugenia “Family and Kinship,” in G. and G.

Week 3: Past Meets Present: Evaluating the Relevance of Kinship in the Study of Contemporary Africa Mon., 9/15 Read Aman, pp. foreward-123 Wed., 9/17 Read: Aman, pp. 124-197. Fri., 9/19 Exam 1: Map Focus (countries, capitals, major physical features and regions. Refer to maps on pgs. 17-22 in Gordon and Gordon.) Read: pp. 198-221.

Assignment 2: For 9/26, prepare a brief typed final paper topic proposal. What question do you want to answer in your research? Identify and list at least three references that will help you respond to this question. Sign up for an appointment to meet to discuss.

Week 4: Transformations in Power and Authority: Gender and Generation Mon., 9/22 Read: Aman, pp. 222-336.

Wed., 9/24 Guest speaker (invited) Read:  Fortes, Meyer, “Kinship and Marriage among the Ashanti,” Pp. 252-284. Read:  Appiah, Kwame Anthony, “Epilogue: In My Father’s House,” Pp. 181-192.

Fri., 9/26 Film: Monday’s Girls, Director Ngozi Onwurah, 1993, Nigeria.

Week 5: Representations of Africa Mon., 9/29 Read: Gordon, April in G and G, “Women and Development” 2nd half of class reserved to finalize Group Presentation and Discussion of Second Group Project. Read: ethnography of your choice from list for ethnographic analysis paper due on Oct. 8. Wed., 10/1 Group Presentations Fri., 10/3 Group Presentations Read: Joseph, George, “African Literature”

Week 6: Insights from African Literature Mon., 10/6 Read: Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s International Roundtable Paper, Wed., 10/8 Read: Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s A Grain of Wheat Ethnographic Analysis Paper Due.

Required Event: Friday OCTOBER 10, 9:30-12 (Optional event with Ngugi wa Thiong’o : October 11, same time and place.) Ngugi wa Thiong'o, the distinguished novelist and cultural theorist will speak on what it means to be an African in the contemporary world, the most critical issues that African peoples confront, and the role Africans should play in an emerging global cultural panorama. Ngugi is currently a member of the Faculty of Arts and Science in the Department of Comparative Literature at New York University. His presentation is a part of Macalester College’s tenth annual International Roundtable. His talk will be held at Weyerhauser Memorial Chapel.

Fri., 10/10 no class: International Roundtable Read: Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s A Grain of Wheat,

Week 7: Art, Religion, and Music Mon., 10/13 Moyo, Ambrose, “Religion in Africa” in G and G Wed., 10/15 Exam 2 Fri., 10/17 Class trip to Minneapolis Institute of Arts (tentative) Read: t.b.a.

Week 8: Art, Religion, and Music Mon., 10/20 Read: tourist art piece Wed., 10/22 Consultations on final papers Fri., 10/24 Fall Break—no class

Week 9: TBA Mon., 10/27 Wed., 10/29 Fri., 10/31

Week 11: Disease, Health, and Healing Mon., 11/3 Read: Gordon, April, “Population, Urbanization, and AIDS” in G and G Read:  Obbo, Christine. “What Women Can Do: AIDS Crisis Management in Uganda,” Pp. 165-178.

Wed., 11/5 To prepare for class discussion, visit the following website: Http://www.careusa.org. Explore the site to get a better understanding of CARE’s work in Africa. Read: Crehan, Kate, “Silencing Power: Mapping the Social Terrain in Post-Apartheid South Africa,” pp. 173-193.

Fri., 11/7  Ngubane, Harriet, “Clinical Practice and Organization of Indigenous Healers in South Africa,” Pp. 366-375.

Week 12: African Political Economy Mon., 11/10 Read: Schraeder, Peter J. “African International Relations” in G and G

Wed., 11/12 Read: DeLancey, Virginia. “The Economies of Africa” in G and G Fri., 11/14 Read: TBA Outline of Final Paper Due with Thesis Statement and Bibliography.

Week 13: Trends and Prospects Mon., 11/17 Read: Gordon and Gordon, “Trends and Prospects” in G and G. Wed., 11/19 TBA Fri., 11/21 TBA

Week 14: Contemporary Issues: Post Apartheid Southern Africa Mon., 11/24 Read: Furlong, Patrick J., “South Africa” in G and G Wed., 11/26 Film: Sophia’s Homecoming, Director Richard Pakleppa, Namibia Papers Due by 5:00 pm in Anthropology office. Fri., 11/28 Thanksgiving: no class

Week 15: Contemporary Issues: War and Slavery in Sudan Mon., 12/1-5 Read: Jok

Week 16: Wrap-Up 12/8 Exam 3 12/10 Presentations of “Don’t Eat the Education” Assignment. 12/12 Last Day of Class: Presentations of “Don’t Eat the Education” Assignment.

Assessment: Final Paper (12 pages on an approved topic) 30% Ethnographic Analysis Paper (7 pages) 10% Exams 1 (10%), 2 (15%), and 3 (25%) 50% Group Assignments 1 and 2 10%

Final Paper: Papers should be approximately 12 typed, double-spaced pages in length (excluding bibliography). The length of the paper necessitates a tight focus. Papers are due by date and time specified above. Points will be deducted for each day the paper is late after the due date. Students are encouraged to expand on themes touched on in the course and cite relevant course readings as appropriate. The paper topic should focus on some aspect of continuity and transformation in African societies. A handout will detail some research resources that you may wish to consult. Refer to the style guide for the American Anthropological Association for any questions about references, style, and formatting at: http://www.aaanet.org/pubs/style_guide.htm

Exams: There will be three exams in this course. The first exam will be primarily geographic in scope. Emphasis of the third exam will be on readings covered after the midterm exam. Map questions will appear on all three exams.

Group Assignment: Working in small groups (number to be determined based on class size), students will prepare and present two collaborative assignments. One assignment focuses on critiquing popular representations of Africa. The second is an applied project that I call, “Don’t Eat the Education.” More details will be discussed in class. Performance will be assessed by a peer and instructor review process.

Preparation and participation in class: A portion of your grade will be determined based on class attendance, participation, and performance. In addition, students are expected to complete small assignments as detailed in the syllabus related to the readings and their final paper and attend scheduled African film screenings.

Incompletes are discouraged strongly and will only be given in the documented case of illness or emergency.

Additional Research Resources

Africa South of the Sahara http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/guide2.html

African Studies at Penn http://www.sas.upenn.edu/African_Studies/AS.html