a f r i c a n american s t u d i e s
AFR 1001 College: An Introduction 1 QH
Intended for freshmen in the College of Arts and Sciences. Seeks to introduce freshmen to the liberal arts in general, as well as to familiarize them with their major; help them develop the academic skills necessary to succeed (e.g. analytical ability and critical thinking); provide grounding in the culture and values of the University community; and help them develop interpersonal skills- in short, to familiarize students with all skills needed to become a successful university student.AFR 1100 Introduction to African-American Studies 4 QH
Explores several of the possible historical, sociological, cultural, and political avenues of study in the broad interdisciplinary spectrum of African-American studies. Provides an introductory overview of the field and offers an opportunity to identify areas for more specific focus.AFR 1121/ENG 1678 Early African-American Literature 4 QH
Surveys the development and range of black American writers, emphasizing poetry and prose from early colonial times to the Civil War. Prereq. ENG 1110 and ENG 1111 or equivalent.AFR 1131/HST 1525 African-American History 4 QH
Covers the development of black America from the period of slavery through Reconstruction, with emphasis on the historical links between Africa and America and the impact on black development in the United States. (Core Category III)AFR 1132/HST 1526 African-American History Since 1900 4 QH
Examines the development of black America from Reconstruction to the present, and the effects of events in the United States and world history on the development of black America. Emphasizes contemporary issues and how these issues can be seen through a historical perspective. Prereq. AFR 1131 or permission of instructor.AFR 1133 History of Blacks in the Media and the Press 4 QH
Offers a historical and visual examination of the development of the African-American experience in the American mass media and press. Analyzes contemporary and historical literature, films, and people with respect to history, racism, images, psychol- ogy, and social movements. Newspapers, film, television, and radio are prime focal points, and are used to help form strategies for the future of black Americans.AFR 1141 Educational Issues and Minority Communities 4 QH
Focuses on some of the important issues in today's urban elementary and secondary education systems. The analysis looks at the historical development of these issues, and students are encouraged to think about and discuss the issues' future significance.AFR 1151/ART 1218 African-American Art History 4 QH
Offers a historical and critical examination of African-American art from the nineteenth century to the present, with special emphasis on the effects of European and African art styles on the black artist in America. (Core Category II)AFR 1153/MUS 1104 Survey of African-American Music 4 QH
Studies the impact of African rhythm on black music, the New Orleans coalescence, regional development, ragtime, the emergence of large bands, the harmonic revolution of the forties, bebop, the 1960s avant-garde, and subsequent developments. Some analysis of specific jazz phenomena is included.AFR 1155 Foundations of Black Culture 4 QH
Studies music, literature, visual and performing arts, and other cultural and artistic traditions as they have evolved among African, African-American, and Caribbean peoples. (Core Category V)AFR 1156/MUS 1181 Music of Africa 4 QH
Provides insight into the many and varied musical styles found on the continent of Africa. Examines instrumental and vocal traditions, using strategies and approaches appropriate to the study of music worldwide. Examines music from the perspective of its creators, as well as the roles and functions of the music in human life. Includes historical and contemporary musical genres.AFR 1161/ECN 1170 Economic Issues in Minority Communities 4 QH
Examines minority lifestyles, perspectives, self-images, and social position in the urban community, particularly in terms of the application of basic economic theories to the economic realities of minority communities. (Core Category VI)AFR 1171 Contemporary Black Politics 4 QH
Analyzes the evolution of black political thought in America and examines the sociopolitical contests that have served as catalysts to modern black political movements.AFR 1191/HST 1620 Early African Civilization 4 QH
Studies the ancient empires of Africa, especially Ghana, Songhai, Mali, Zimbabwe, the city states of East Africa, Nubia, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the Congo Kingdom.AFR 1193 Africa Today 4 QH
Studies the complex political and social picture of Africa. This course examines some of the salient features of black art, politics, and identity in Africa.AFR 1195 Identity and Nationalism in Africa 4 QH
Studies how centuries of imperialism, the struggle for national unity, and the continuing problems of racism and rivalry between factions have affected the present identities and nationalist movements in Africa. This course explores problems peculiar to Africa and to any group of nations struggling against colonial ideas. Tribalism and the effects of European colonial partition on African identity are discussed.AFR 1196 The Black Experience in the Caribbean 4 QH
Offers a descriptive and interpretive analysis of the growth of the modern black community in the Caribbean. Although the focus is the contemporary period, the course examines that period in the context of colonialism and slavery in the Americas. Important racial, social, political, economic, and religious issues are addressed.AFR 1197/HST 1621 Modern African Civilization 4 QH
Explores African history and culture from 1800 to the present era. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between Europe and Africa, the circumstances surrounding the imperialist partition of Africa, and the decolonization process. (Core Category IV)AFR 1200/ART 1216 Survey of African Art 4 QH
Traces the historical development of African art from traditional to contemporary styles and periods. Emphasizes the study of art objects, the social and historical context in which aesthetic issues are shaped, and the impact of religion and external forces on creativity. Uses lectures, critiques, discussions, fieldwork, and hands-on interaction with art objects.AFR 1211 African-Americans in Science, Technology, and Medicine 4 QH
Studies the contributions that African-Americans have made to the development of science and technology in America. It examines the cultural and social factors that have encouraged blacks to work in the fields of science (biology, chemistry, physics, and medicine) and technology (engineering). Certification of blacks within the American scientific community and the availability of science to the past and contemporary African-American communities are also explored. Readings, discussions, individual research topics, and interviews with black scientists, inventors/engineers, and doctors are used to develop the basic course material.AFR 1220 The Black Novel 4 QH
Focuses on the black novelist's place in the history of American fiction. Special attention is given to Chesnutt, Toomer, Wright, Ellison, and contemporary novelists, and to their different perceptions of the black experience in America.AFR 1231/LIN 1231 African-American English 4 QH
Addresses topics in the study of African-American English or Ebonics. Investigates the hypotheses about the origins of African-American English as well as arguments about the relation of the dialect to English and other languages. Considers issues regarding the use of the dialect in schools.AFR 1233/MUS 1265 Jazz Improvisation 1 4 QH
Focuses on repertory as well as performance. Examines the great improvisational artists in American music, such as Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane. Approaches analysis from a theoretical as well as a practical perspective. Explores the use of rhythm, chords, scales, and modes in the creative improvisation process.AFR 1234/MUS 1234 Jazz Ensemble 1 QH
Designed to serve both music majors and nonmajors, this is a performance/theory/history offering of the varied styles and techniques of performance in the jazz tradition of African-American music. Students are admitted to the course by permission of the instructor following an interview and/or audition. Students are drawn from all segments of the University. Repertory is taken from the standard jazz literature as well as investigations of new works. Improvisational and interpretational technique are the core content of the course. Both the NU Band and the NU Jazz Combo are represented together in this course.AFR 1235 Black History of Boston 4 QH
Examines the social, economic, political, and educational history of Boston's black community in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The development of the black community and its institutions is a major focus, and students are encouraged to study the past in an attempt to understand the present and interpret the future. Research data include participant observation, oral history, interviews, and primary and secondary source materials.AFR 1240 Contemporary Issues in Black Society 4 QH
Introduces the various issues and problems that confront black Americans, including some of the realities of the social, political, and economic problems of contemporary black experience. Students are asked to assess the validity of specific social theories in relation to the black experience. (Core Category VI)AFR 1241 The Black Family 4 QH
Studies how the black family functions, both interpersonally and as a social unit. Anthropological and sociological theories deal with variations in family structure and the function of the black family in black society. The effects of slavery and colonization on the black family structure and functions are also explored. A side issue is a discussion of some of the differences and similarities between African, African-American, and African-Caribbean families.AFR 1248 Race Relations in America 4 QH
Examines the interrelations of ethnic, cultural, and minority groups in the United States. Focus is on the nature of racial conflicts, discrimination, reverse discrimination, personal and institutional racism, and racial and ethnic stereotyping. Discussion considers avenues of improvement in attitude awareness and change.AFR 1249 Black Community and Social Change 4 QH
Explores the dynamic changes experienced by black communities in the United States since the Civil Rights era in the 1950s and 1960s. Includes discussions and applications of key concepts and methods in several fields of the social sciences, and seeks to understand the relationship of race, class, gender, and social change in addressing the current search for policies and programs for community development.AFR 1251 Survey of Black Theater and Drama 4 QH
Focuses on the development of black drama during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, with emphasis on modern developments and their political and cultural significance. (Same as THE 1118.)AFR 1271/POL 1308 The Politics of Poverty 4 QH
Explores what is referred to as the poverty system: how and why there is poverty, how it affects people's lives, and how it can be eliminated. As a discussion-centered course, relies on simulations, small-group work, and experience-based learning; examines the relations between poverty, racism, and the economic, political, and administrative systems. Evaluates a number of alternatives and provides an opportunity for clarifying individual assumptions and feelings about poverty.AFR 1280/PSY 1280 Race and Social Identity 4 QH
Provides an interdisciplinary look at the social, political, and psychological factors shaping contemporary African-American identity. Explores several different factors that interact with blackness to shape the diversity of African-American experience, such as skin color, gender, culture, and class. Studies black identity as it has been conceptualized, measured, and researched by psychologists. Readings include essays written by important African-American thinkers, fiction, and autobiographical narratives, as well as empirical research in the field of psychology.AFR 1294 Third World Politics 4 QH
Offers a comparative regional analysis of the political systems of Third World nations of Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Emphasis is on development strategies; problems of development, including national identity, political socialization and participation, national defense, and urbanization; and the positions of Third World nations in the international community.AFR 1297/HST 1605 Caribbean History 4 QH
Analyzes the development of the Caribbean from slavery to the present. Focuses on the period 1918Ð1962 especially, and emphasizes historical analysis of the relationship of the Caribbean with the United States and black Americans.AFR 1300, AFR 1301, AFR 1310, AFR 1311 Directed Study 4 QH each
Offers the ambitious student the opportunity to pursue a special intellectual interest not covered by the department course offerings and to work on this interest with the department faculty member of his/her choice. The faculty member closely supervises the project and acts as adviser for the duration of the quarter.AFR 1324/POL 1311 Blacks and Jews 4 QH
Compares the black and Jewish experiences in the United States. Themes include: remembered slavery and commemoration of freedom; holocaust and genocide; religious expressions of politics; Black-Jewish relations; and Black Judaism.AFR 1342/POL 1342 Government and Politics of Africa 4 QH
Explores contemporary politics in African nations south of the Sahara using films, maps, news clips, discussions, and readings. Studies South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ethiopia. Examines apartheid, colonialism, Afro-Marxism, chieftaincy, economic development, and Pan-Africanism. (Core Category VI)AFR 1355 Advanced Seminar 4 QH
Offers students the opportunity to prepare a professional research paper under the close supervision of a scholar interested in students' particular research areas. The senior thesis is required of all African-American Studies majors. Satisfies experiential education requirement. Prereq. Permission of instructor.AFR 1380 Junior/Senior Honors Program 4 QH
For details contact the honors office.AFR 1401 History of East Africa 4 QH
Deals with the precolonial period and the problems of the partition of Africa in the first section of the course. The second section focuses on the classical colonial period and the transformations of colonial policy after World War II, with particular emphasis on the ambiguity of decolonization and those features of the colonial system that seem to have become a part of the East African social and political environment.AFR 1403/HST 1623 History of West Africa 4 QH
Studies the history of West Africa and its struggle for internal unity, economic development, and social justice. The Pan-Africanist ideology, W.E.B. DuBois's writings, African socialism, and the consolidation of power and leadership are some of the topical objectives in this study of African liberation, particularly the rise of West Africa.AFR 1405/HST 1625 History of South Africa 4 QH
Studies precolonial South Africa and the conflict between Africans and the Dutch and English settlers. The course then focuses on the formation and transformation of colonial policy after World War II, with particular emphasis on racism, neocolonialism, liberation movements, and international involvement in the apartheid system. (Core Category VI) Prereq. AFR 1491 or permission of instructor.AFR 1415/LIN 1415 African Language 4 QH
Seeks to prepare students for serious theoretical and practical study of the West African language and literature known as Kwa, the largest language subgroup in the Niger-Congo family. Students explore the classification of African languages, the application of basic linguistics, and the history of these languages in Africa and the Western hemisphere, all leading to an introduction to spoken Yoruba and Igbo.AFR 1421 Modern African-American Literature 4 QH
Continues AFR 1127. Focuses on principal writers and their major themes. Prereq. AFR 1127 or permission of instructor.AFR 1451/MUS 1112 Jazz 4 QH
Examines the evolution of the creative improvisational musical styles commonly called jazz, from its African-American roots to its status as one of America's classical musics and an internationally valued art form. Explores the contributions of African and European musical traditions and African-American spirituals, work songs, and blues. Examines major contributors and stylistic development and change through selected audio and audiovisual presentations. Also considers the sociocultural dynamics that have affected musical evolution and acceptance.AFR 1470 Black Political Thought 4 QH
Examines black opinions, from the radical to the ultraconservative, of the United States political system. The focus is historical in context and addresses notions of political socialization and the development of black political ideologies.AFR 1502/HST 1502 Topics in African-American History 4 QH
Seeks to widen our understanding of what constitutes the African Diaspora and how women affect its construction. From the pre-colonial era to the present, looks at women's cultural expressions, their labor, their roles in preserving and strengthening the communities in which they live, their ideologies, even their cooking.AFR 1575/PSY 1575 Community Psychology Laboratory 4 QH
Students reflect upon real-world obstacles in conducting independent field research in communities in and around Northeastern during the quarter. Student reflections are used to guide research design, to evaluate theory, and to problem-solve social problems. Research topics may focus on battered women, HIV, student stress, perceptions of the media, church involvement in dealing with stress, or topics affecting large minority populations. Evaluates student performance through class discussions and written research reports.AFR 1628/HST 1628 The African Diaspora 4 QH
Explores the creation and transformation of the African Diaspora--connections among communities of African descent in Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Focuses on the years from 1500 to the present, and emphasizes connections among the themes of migration, identity, and popular culture.AFR 1810, 1811,1812,1813 Junior/Senior Honors Project 4 QH each
For details, contact the honors office.AFR 1888, 1889 Experiential Education Directed Study 4 QH each
Draws upon the student's approved experiential activity and integrates it with study in the academic major. Restricted to those students who are using it to fulfill their experiential education requirement.The following courses may be of interest to the student wishing to concentrate in African-American Studies. Descriptions for these courses may be found in the appropriate department listing.
PHL 1100 Introduction to Philosophy
PHL 1140 Social and Political Philosophy
PHL 1243 Existentialism
PHL 1335 Moral Philosophy
POL 1303 Political Behavior
POL 1362 Civil Liberties
POL 1386 International Law
SOA 1345 People in Cities
SOC 1147 Urban Social Problems
SOC 1170 Race and Ethnic Relations
SOC 1310 Class, Power, and Social Change
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