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 history, religion, social organization, politics, economics, psychology, and creative production, 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 and distinguishing theories and methods. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (Available for General Education, …

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. (Cross-listed with AAS 151, CAS 151, CHS …

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, D3/D4 Constitution of the United States/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 led by Chaka in the 19th century. In addition to describing the leadership, histories and achievements of African figures like Imhotep, Zoser, Ahknaten, Muhammed and Chaka, attention is given to understanding the …

Introduction to the operations of the U.S. economy, with special emphasis on the interrelationships between producers, consumers and governmental components. Emphasizes the economic position and economic needs of the African-American community within this system. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (ES)

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 …

Study of contemporary American society and its effects on the African-American community from the perspective of basic psychological concepts and theories. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (ES)

Study of contemporary American society and its effects on the African-American community from the perspective of basic sociological concepts and theories. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (ES)

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, F Comparative Cultural Studies.)

Introduction to major African-American authors from 1930 to the present. The work of Richard Wright, Margaret Walker, Gwendolyn Brooks, Ralph Ellison, John Killens, James Baldwin and LeRoi Jones are studied, as well as the works of writers who formed the Black Arts Movement that flourished during the 1970s. Focus on understanding the dynamics of African-American …

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, C1 Arts.) (ES)

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 Black diaspora. Specifically, we will examine the role of media and the arts in enabling, facilitating, or challenging the social constructions of “Blackness” in Black popular culture. The course will …

Survey course examining the themes and issues in the history of the African peoples in America up to 1865. (Available for General Education, C3 American History, Institutions and Ideals.)

Survey in African-American history covering the period 1865 to the present. Includes the Reconstruction era, post-Reconstruction, the Negro Renaissance, the Civil Rights Movement, and black nationalism. (Available for General Education, C3 American History, Institutions and Ideals.)

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 minority creative writing. Students learn to write in the three genres–prose fiction, drama and/or poetry. In addition, students have the opportunity to meet and work with distinguished professional minority writers. Students should consult with the instructor about the semester syllabus and Minority Literature Concentration. …

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 Section B of the Multicultural Requirement for Credential …

Study of the household as a consuming unit and the firm as a producing unit, exploring factor costs, price determinatives and income distribution, with emphasis on the African-American community and its lack of control over the means of production.

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 …

Examination of the major theories and research by black scholars addressing the development of a black psychology. Comparisons and contrasts are made with Traditional Psychology. Pan Africanist perspective is taken (i.e., African, Caribbean, etc.).

Prerequisites: AFRS 220 and/or an introductory course in Psychology; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of the psychological manifestations of oppression of the African-American. Emphasis on the understanding and analysis of psychological stress, the assessment of this phenomenon and discussion of the solutions for the creation of a positive self-concept in African-American people. Meets …

Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Summarizes structural evaluation and role formation of the family. Presents an overview of the traditional African family and socialization process. Focuses on the impact of slavery and post-slavery institutions on the formation of the black family in America. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (Available for General Education, …

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, F …

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, C2 Humanities.) (ES) (WI)

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, C2 Humanities.) (WI)

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 selected works by contemporary Black women writers, including Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Ntozake Shange and Maya Angelou. Themes explored include correcting the images, movement from masking to self-revelation, male-female relationships and search for wholeness. (Available for General Education, C2 Humanities.) (WI)

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. Introduction to the politics of the African-American, including political socialization, voting, interest groups, political parties and the political behavior within the sub-cultural context. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.) (WI)

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. Explores the genesis of African-American linguistic patterns, with a focus on acquisition of Ebonics as a sociocultural linguistic phenomenon. Available for Section C of the Multicultural Requirement for Credential Candidates.

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. Available for Section A of the Multicultural Requirement for Credential Candidates. Meets the Ethnic Studies requirement. (ES)

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.