Objectives:



Pan African Studies 226 Traditional African Cultures

Dr. Eleazu Obinna

Telephone: (818) 677 - 3265

Objectives:

1. To give students a broad overview of the major developments in the course of Traditional Cultures of Africa from 3200 BC to the present.

2. To present materials and data about African Cultures past and present.

3. To develop students analytical skills in reading, thinking, and writing by teaching students to analyze primary sources as evidence and use those sources to write a comparative essay.

4. To teach students how to make the past meaningful by looking at global issues and different perceptions of common concerns such as beliefs and values.

5. To research and identify values found in African traditional practices, customs, and rituals.

Course Outcome

1. To generate understanding of the stereotypes held and assumptions made about the continent.

2. To generate understanding of the many cultures across Africa, with limited exposure that have caused misconception.

3. To generate understanding of the limit of western knowledge of Africa, human rights, political power structure, the environment, public health, marriage, and emigration.

4. To generate understanding of the rise and fall of Africa’s great civilization.

5. To understand the reasons why the European powers petitioned Africa, including the slave trade, and the search for raw materials.

Course Description:

A comprehensive overview of the African societies and cultures from the earliest times to the twentieth century. Case studies in ethnology, kinship and marriage, economics and political institutions, religion and philosophy, the arts, and the interaction between the traditional African cultures and the non-African cultures. (Available for General Education, Comparative Cultural Studies)

Recommended Texts:

A. Africa and Africans by Paul Bohannan and Philip Curtin 4th edition.

B. The Great Civilizations of Ancient Africa by Lester Brooks (not available in bookstore but professor has handouts that will be available online).

Introduction:

a) Three epochs of the African heritage, i.e. the traditional era, colonial era and post-colonial era. i.e. the tripartite heritage of Africa

b) Heterogeneity of Africa. i.e. the diversity of soils, climates, subterranean wealth, vegetation, languages, religious, socio-economic systems, political systems and “human types”

c) Changes of names of countries, societies, cities et alia huius generis during the colonial and post colonial eras

d) Definition, exemplification and discussion of selected anthropo-historical terms:

a. Culture 15. Stereotype

b. Enculturation 16. Racism

c. Acculturation 17. Communalism

d. Assimilation 18. Individualism

e. Syncretism 19. Symbiosis

f. Apartheid 20. Parasitism

g. Darwinism 21. Democracy

h. Evolution 22. Theocracy

i. Creationism 23. Aristocracy

j. Ethnocentrism 24. Meritocracy

k. Afro-centrism 25. Humanism

l. Euro-centrism 26. Atheism

m. Gerontocracy 27. Theocracy

n. Anthropocentrism

e) The culture Areas of Traditional Africa Preface, introduction and Chapter I of Lester Brooks book, Great Civilizations of Ancient Africa

Chapter III of Lester Brooks’ book

Chapter IV of Lester Brooks’ book

Chapter VIII of Lester Brooks’ book

Basic anthropo-historical concepts, terms and practices, relating to kinship, love, marriage, sex and family.

Themes:

Since Traditional Cultures of Africa is such a broad subject, we will focus on one comprehensive theme to unite all the other aspects of Traditions and to provide a basis for comparison: African Traditional views. To study African Traditions to try to understand how people perceived and organized their relationships to nature, each other, and the divine or supernatural. In order, and the divine or supernatural. In order to understand African views, we must look at geography, economy, social structure, politics, religion, literature and art.

Tests:

The four tests are designed not just to find out how much you know of the course content but also how well you have assimilated and thought about the material. Consequently, the testing is primarily essay, with some identification items (major documents and concepts). The essay questions are thematic and designed to enable you to make cross-cultural comparisons.

Make-up Policy:

There will be no scheduled make-up tests. In case of an emergency or medical problem. You must: 1) notify your professor 2) supply written evidence (from a doctor, Officer or counselor) showing just cause your absence from a test. For missed work, consult your professor. In our experience, the later you wait in the semester to come to use with a problem, the harder it is for us to help you effectively.

Lectures and Assignments:

Attendance at lecture is mandatory and you are strongly advised that the test reflect the themes developed in lecture. The lectures contain material available in the folio, including web images, audio recordings, and videos. The attached outline lists the topic for each lecture as well as the assigned readings. I highly recommend that you read the Folio material over the weekend sometime.

Aggregate of Points Grades

From 250 – 237 A, i.e. the “A” Team

From 236 – 225 A-

From 224 – 215 B+

From 214 – 206 B

From 205 – 200 B-

From 199 – 175 C+

From 174 – 160 C

From 159 – 150 C-

From 149 – 140 D+

From 139 – 130 D

From 129 – 125 D –

From 124 – 0 F

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