Africana Studies

1 unit University credit; No credit toward graduation. Emphasizes the development of the individual student’s writing abilities with intensive practice in basic writing skills, including grammar, usage and other aspects of the composing process. May be taken by students who want to improve their writing skills, whatever the level. 2 hours lab per week. (Credit/No …

Overview of Black culture, including Black History, Black Religion, Black Politics, Black Economics, Black Psychology, Black Sociology, Black Literature, Black Dance, and more, with a survey of the key concepts and fundamental literature in each area. The discipline of Africana Studies is also presented in terms of its origins, theories, methods, methodologies, pedagogies, and philosophies. …

Prerequisite: Placement in a supported GE subarea A2 Written Communication course. Corequisite: UNIV 061. Expository prose writing, with a focus on both content and form. Specific emphases include the exercise of logical thought and clear expression, the development of effective organizational strategies and the appropriate gathering and utilization of evidence. Includes instruction on diction, syntax …

Prerequisite: Successful completion of 113A. Corequisite: UNIV 062. Expository prose writing with a focus on both content and form. Specific emphases include the exercise of logical thought and clear expression, the development of effective organizational strategies and the appropriate gathering and utilization of evidence. Includes instruction on diction, syntax and grammar, as well as the elements …

Prerequisite: Placement in a supported GE subarea A2 Written Communication course. Expository prose writing, with a focus on both content and form. Specific emphases include the exercise of logical thought and clear expression, the development of effective organizational strategies and the appropriate gathering and utilization of evidence. Includes instruction on diction, syntax and grammar, as well …

Prerequisite: 114A. Expository prose writing, with a focus on both content and form. Specific emphases include the exercise of logical thought and clear expression, the development of effective organizational strategies and the appropriate gathering and utilization of evidence. Includes instruction on diction, syntax and grammar, as well as the elements of prose style. Students receive …

Prerequisite: Multiple Measures Placement in GE-level writing. Expository prose writing with a focus on both content and form. Specific emphases include the exercise of logical thought and clear expression, the development of effective organizational strategies and the appropriate gathering and utilization of evidence. Includes instruction on diction, syntax and grammar, as well as the elements …

Prerequisite: Multiple Measures Placement in GE-level writing, or completion of 113A or 114A, or completion of the lower division writing requirement. Introduction to the study of the human communication process, with emphasis on techniques of contemporary African-American rhetoric. Includes intensive practice in public speaking, logical reasoning and critical listening. Available for General Education, Basic Skills …

Examines the development and dynamics of American political institutions and political processes as they relate to the experiences of African Americans. Available for General Education, Area 4A/B Constitution of the United States and California State and Local Government.

Students will explore a variety of historical, theoretical, and cultural approaches to studying the African Diaspora. The assigned readings cover both the geographic and conceptual nature of the African Diaspora beginning on the African continent, moving through the Americas (North, South, and the Caribbean Basin), and into Europe. It considers important issues in the construction …

Surveys the various great societies of Africa, covering a period from the origin of humankind in East Africa to the great Zulu Kingdom in the 19th century. In addition to describing the leadership, histories, and achievements of African figures like Imhotep, Zoser, Akhenaten, Muhammed, and Chaka, attention is also given to understanding the culture, technologies, …

Introduction to the operations of the U.S. economy, with special attention given to the interrelationships between producers, consumers, and governmental components. Emphasizes the economic position, economic needs, and solutions for the African American community within this system. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available for General Education, Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences. (E.S.)

Prerequisite: Instructor consent. Recommended Corequisite or Preparatory: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Introduction to the basic concepts of deductive logic as a dimension of critical reasoning and the practical usage of those concepts in discussing, analyzing and critiquing ideas on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and other relevant issues of modern society. Available for …

Introduction to Black Psychology from an African Centered perspective is focused on, but not limited to, the psychological effects of racism and white supremacy; the criminal justice system/prison industrial complex; drug and alcohol use; the one dimensional/biased media; and the Eurocentric educational system on the Black community. Solutions such as self-knowledge, self-identity, and holistic healing …

Introduction to Black Sociology is focused on the social, cultural, and physical realities and the social, cultural, and physical environment of African Americans in contemporary American society from an African Centered perspective. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available for General Education, Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences. (E.S.)

Comprehensive overview of the African societies and cultures from the earliest times to the 20th century. Case studies in ethnology, kinship and marriage, economic 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, CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies.

Survey of literature produced by Black people in the Americas (North and South) and the Caribbean to 1930 through the framework of Black empowerment. The dynamics of the Black experience in the Americas and the Caribbean are explored through their historical and cultural context, including racism and the structures of white supremacy that impact the …

Survey of African American literature from 1930 to the present examined through the framework of Black empowerment. The dynamics of the African American experience are explored through their historical and cultural context, including racism and the structures of white supremacy that impact the Black experience. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available for General Education, Area …

Chronological survey of the major works of representative African-American dramatists from 1925 to the present, with particular focus on their techniques, ideas and the cultural milieu in which the works were produced. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available for General Education, Area 3A Arts. (E.S.)

This course examines popular culture as it relates to the cultural transmission, inheritance, and complex relations between African origins and the irreversible scatterings of the African Diaspora. Specifically, we will examine the role of media, social media, and the arts in enabling, facilitating, or challenging the social constructions of Blackness in Black popular culture. The …

Survey in African American History up to 1865 including the MAAFA, enslavement, the Civil War, and the contributions of African people in the establishment of America. Emphasis will be placed on the resistance of African people in America and their fight against white supremacy and its manifestations. Meets the American History, Institutions and Ideals requirement.

Survey in African American History from 1865 to present including Reconstruction, Post-Reconstruction, The Harlem Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and Black Nationalism. Emphasis will be placed on the resistance of African people in America and their fight against white supremacy and its manifestations. Meets the American History, Institutions and Ideals requirement.

Historical approach to an analysis of the political, social and economic development of the Caribbean islands after the 1830s. General focus centered on post-emancipation colonialism and the development of a particular form of neo-colonialism that manifested itself after independence. Also includes an examination of the emergence of contemporary radical political movements.

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Introductory workshop in the skills and techniques used in creative writing from a culturally centered approach. Students learn to write in various genres including fiction, drama, poetry, and mixed genre work. Available for General Education, Area 3A Arts.

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. In-depth exploration of the social, political, cultural, and economic issues in the African-American community. Provides insight on the extent to which these issues affect the black individual and family in their interaction with the majority American society. Available for General Education, CSUN Section F Comparative Cultural Studies. …

Study of the household as a consuming unit and the firm as a producing unit, exploring factor costs, price determinants and income distribution, with an emphasis on the African American community, its lack of control over the means of production, and solutions for the African American community within this system.

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course provides an in-depth exploration of health and wellness in Africana communities. Students will examine the ways in which racism and systematic oppression create barriers to Black health and wellness. Students will evaluate pathways for personal and collective Black healing and empowerment. Meets the Ethnic Studies …

The examination of major theories and research in Black Psychology from an African Centered perspective including, but not limited to, melanin, the Black Personality, and the mental, spiritual, and physical health of Black people. African Psychology, Caribbean Psychology, Pan African Psychology, and additional psychological approaches from throughout the African World will also be examined along …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. A Black Psychology course focused on the holistic study of the Black Personality. The roots of the Black Personality in Africa and the detrimental effects white supremacy continues to have on Black people will be covered. African Centered disorders and diagnosis are also discussed including treatment options for …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Provides an overview of the Black family’s structure, gender dynamics, and the nurturing of future generations examined from an African Centered perspective starting from its African roots to contemporary times. The impact of the MAAFA, racial terror, structural oppression, and the system of white supremacy will be …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examines the social, political and psychological forces impacting the lives of black women and focuses on their expectations, opportunities, problems and goals in contemporary society. Also studies the black woman’s contribution to the family and the community. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available for General Education, CSUN …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examines the social, political and psychological forces affecting the lives of black men and focuses on their expectations, opportunities, problems and goals in contemporary society. Studies contributions of the black male and his relationships to the family, community and American society. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. In-depth exploration of the history and criticism of the black image on the American screen and the social and political background from which the African-American image has developed. Emphasizes technical (how a film is composed) and critical (the meaning that can be drawn from those compositions) perspectives. …

Prerequisite: Students must be at the sophomore level to enroll in AFRS 340A-Z. This course examines the political, social and cultural history of African Americans in Los Angeles. Through readings, film, discussion and field experiences, students will uncover the significance of individuals, broader historical events and discriminatory practices on the community’s formation and evolution. Equipped …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examines African film and literature from an African cultural and historical lens. Establishes art as a critical tool of African people’s liberation and development through the framework of African agency and empowerment. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. Available for General Education, Area 3B Humanities. (E.S.) (W.I.)

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examines the literatures of people in Africa and the Caribbean. Establishes the theoretical, historical, cultural and imagistic framework within which that literature operates. Thematic analysis of the literatures with respect to both their comparative experiences and their specifically different backgrounds. Available for General Education, Area 3B Humanities. …

Analysis of the thematic patterns in autobiographies from the slave narrative through the present, focusing on the continuity of the African-American experiences from a psychological, sociological and historical point of view.

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of the sociopolitical contexts and literary techniques of Black women writers. Themes include authors’ struggles to reconcile conflicting identities in a racist and sexist nation; the intertwining of class, gender identity, race, and sexual orientation in identity formation and politics; and how these writers portray Black …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Advanced course emphasizing alternative strategies in expository writing skills development. Focus on such purposeful forms of discourse as reports, the research paper, critiques, the essay examination and selected forms of correspondence. Cursory review of grammar, mechanics and syntax is offered as needed. More intensive review of such …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course is an in-depth exploration of the African Worldview through a concentrated focus on the theory, philosophy and methodology of the Black Aesthetic. The Black Aesthetic is the way African/Black people view, interpret and create art throughout the African World. Therefore, several manifestations of the Black …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course examines the Black Novel, or more specially novels written by peoples of African descent in America, from the beginning of this genre in 1853 to the present day from an African Centered perspective. Using African/Black culture, the African Worldview, and the Black Aesthetic as our …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Survey of the politics of the African American community, including, but not limited to, political socialization, voting, interest groups, political parties, and the political behavior within the sub-cultural context. Available for General Education, Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences. (W.I.)

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Recommended Preparatory: Introductory level course in history and government (Title 5). This course will examine how issues of race, gender, class and sexuality factor into the public policy process. Issues related to voting rights, welfare, criminal justice, affirmative action, reproductive health, and equity pay will be the …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Comprehensive overview of the motives of the European colonizers of Africa and the methods they used in their colonial pursuits. Consequences of the colonization of Africa and the slave trade. African liberation movements. Case studies of colonialism in specific regions and/or specific countries. Meets the Ethnic Studies …

This course is an examination of the theory and practice of African-American social movements designed to introduce students to the various approaches and models used to study social movements and apply them to the African American experience. Theories that promulgate non-violent direct action, the use of violence and other non-systemic activity will be assessed within …

Examination of African-American youth and society through the medium of Hip Hop. This course also explores the connection between the Hip Hop community and the various political, corporate and institutional actors that influence society both locally and globally. Special emphasis is placed on the impact of Hip Hop on African identity, culture and politics. Required …

Comparative study of African enslavement in the Caribbean, Latin America and the U.S. Examines various patterns of enslavement in Africa, Brazil, Latin America, the West Indies and North America. Includes the examination of the transatlantic slave trade and the origins of New World enslavement. Also explores the different approaches to abolition and the nature of …

Gives students a working knowledge of the African-American community, including its culture, problems and current efforts to solve problems in the community.

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course explores African American language and linguistic patterns within Black communities as a sociocultural linguistic phenomenon from their genesis to contemporary status. Linguistic profiling and anti-Black racism, linguistic justice, and language policies are examined.

Prerequisite: Upper division Standing. Introduction to paradigms, theories, and models of research on the Africana community. Emphasis will be placed on methodological, epistemological and ethical concerns related to conducting research studies on people of African descent. Other topics include sampling techniques, experimental and non-experimental designs, ethnography, and archival approaches relevant to the Africana community.

Prepares teacher candidates to examine principles of educational equity, diversity and the implementation of curriculum content and school practices for elementary/secondary students. Focuses on the history and culture of a specific ethnic experience and a comparative analysis made with other ethnic groups in California. Engages students to examine, critique and reflect on their personal biases …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Exploration of African-American childhood socialization dynamics through an examination of the forces of constraint and development. Examines theories of social development and achievement. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (E.S.)

Prerequisite: Grade of “B” or better in AFRS 151 or instructor consent. Historical analysis of the role played by the mass media in the African-American community from slavery to contemporary times. Particular attention given to evaluating the African-American press.

Course content to be determined.

Primarily restricted to students majoring in Africana Studies, but open to other students with instructor consent. Capstone course for the AFRS major, usually taken during the final semester before baccalaureate graduation. Focuses on a synthesis of the information, concepts, material and methodologies provided in previous AFRS classes. Provides intensive practice in utilizing that data in theoretical analysis …

Independent Study

Course content to be determined.