AFRICAN STUDIES (AFST) 301 - LECTURE 01

INTRODUCTION TO AFRICAN STUDIES

FALL 2008

TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS: 14:00 - 15:15 SCIENCE A 121

 

Instructor:	Dr. C. Apentiik
Office Location:	Social Science Building, Room 252
Office Phone:	(403) 220-3396
E-Mail:	rapentii@ucalgary.ca
Office Hours:	Tuesday 13:00 - 14:00 or by appointment

 

Additional Information

Additional information on the course will be posted on Blackboard.

Course Description

This course is an interdisciplinary introductory study of the African continent, its people and cultures. It will explore the nature of traditional society, the processes of change that have shaped the continent's development, and the effects of those processes in historical and contemporary contexts. The course therefore, offers students a unique opportunity to explore the historic, socio-cultural, economic and political diversity and dynamics within the continent.

Objectives of the Course

This course aims at assisting students to:

1)                    develop a holistic understanding of the continent and its people, beyond the parochial images found in the media.

2)                    appreciate the similarities, diversity, challenges, triumphs and possibilities that characterize the continent.

3)                    understand how historical events and various actors have shaped, and continue to shape developments on the continent as well as insights into the profound impact of Africa on  the rest of the world.

Textbooks and Readings:

Required textbooks (Available for purchase at the University Bookstore)

1.   Mongo Beti 2005.     Poor Christ of Bomba, Illinois: Waveland Press Inc.

2.   Toyin Falola 2003            The Power of African Cultures. University of Rochester Press.

Recommended books (0n reserved section of the University library)

1.     Gordon A. and D. L. Gordon (Eds.). 2000. Understanding Contemporary Africa. Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishing)

2.     Kevin Shillington (Ed.) 1996. History of Africa, London, (Revised edition)

3.     Bohannan P and P.Curtin. 2000. African and Africans. Illinois: Waveland Press Inc.

Assignments and Evaluation

1.     Mid-Term Exam         25% (October 30, in class)

2.     Term Paper         30% (December 4, in class)

3.     Final Exam         30% (Scheduled by the Registrar).

4.     Book review            15% (October 16, in class)

NOTE:

• Exam will be based on lectures, readings and films cover in the course up to the time of the exam.
• All exams and assignments must be completed in order to pass the course.
• At the discretion of the instructor, assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g., A- to B+) for each day late.
• It is your responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment as you may be required to be able to provide a second copy of your work (papers and assignments, take home exam) if requested. Students who cannot provide a second copy of the exam may risk receiving a grade of 0..
• Further details on the assignments and evaluation methods as well my expectations will be discussed in class. You can also find detail information on how to prepare yourself for the assignments (exams and term papers) on Blackboard.
• Note: Please hand in your essays directly to your tutor or instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination:  YES

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you need help with your writing, you may use the Writing Centre.  Visit the website for more details: www.efwr.ucalgary.ca

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

(Revised, effective September 2008)

 

	Grading Scale
A+	96-100
A	90-95.99
A -	85-89.99
B+	80-84.99
B	75-79.99
B-	70-74.99
C+	65-69.99
C	60-64.99
C-	55-59.99
D+	53-54.99
D	50-52.99
F	0-49

 

Where a grade on a particular assignment is expressed as a letter grade, it will normally be converted to a number using the midpoint of the scale.  That is, A- would be converted to 87.5 for calculation purposes.  F will be converted to zero.

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people's words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS 106, efwr.ucalgary.ca) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/su

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Ethics

Whenever you perform research with human participants (i.e. surveys, interviews, observation) as part of your university studies, you are responsible for following university research ethics guidelines.  Your instructor must review and approve of your research plans and supervise your research.  For more information about your research ethics responsibilities, see

The Faculty of Communication and Culture Research Ethics site: http://www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/ethics

or the University of Calgary Research Ethics site: http://www.ucalgary.ca/research/compliance/ethics/info/undergrad/

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

Will be handed in class/posted on blackboard