African American Studies
Faculty
Chairperson: Joseph Jewell
Assistant Professor: Joseph Jewell
Assistant Professor: Dionne Bennett
Objectives
African American Studies is an interdisciplinary department with a worldview grounded in the perspective of Africa and the Diaspora. This worldview forms the basis of our intellectual, theoretical, and methodological approaches. The objective of African American Studies is to understand the forces that impact the lives of people of African descent in America as well as the influences of African descent on America and beyond. The Department’s curriculum challenges students to integrate knowledge and analytical skills from disciplines such as sociology, history, literature, political science, philosophy, and economics so that a more holistic understanding emerges.
By examining the lived experiences of Africans in America and throughout the Diaspora from the perspective of various disciplines, students develop a deeper understanding of themselves and their interactions within a diverse society. Thus, African American Studies provides students with an excellent preparation for graduate study, professional schools, social advocacy and activism to promote social justice, and numerous employment opportunities (e.g., law, education, counseling, entertainment, social work, public relations, business, etc.) that require a Bachelor of Arts degree.
African American Studies Student Learning Outcomes
By virtue of exposure to African American Studies courses,
African American Studies students should know:
- The general history of African American people in the U.S. and the Diaspora
- The significance of the concept of an African worldview and its significance to African American-centered scholarship
- How to conduct social science research and to interpret scientific data
- The basic research questions posed by the various disciplines contributing to a better understanding of the African American experience
- The value of embracing the concept of diversity in the modern and complex world in which we live
- The pathways to graduate schools and professional careers provided to a major or minor in African American Studies
- The scope and content of African-centered knowledge systems;
African American Studies students should be able to:
- Effectively employ social science methodologies in the analysis of issues related to African Americans
- Demonstrate written and oral competencies in the analysis of theories and practices
- Identify and utilize appropriate primary data, including census and demographic data
- Apply their understanding of social issues to the development and critical analysis of programs and policies that impact residents in rural and urban areas
- Develop a basic knowledge and appreciation of the Black Aesthetic
- Develop an understanding of the forces that negatively impact the Black family and other institutions in the Black community;
African American Studies students should value:
- The contributions of Black people to America and to world civilization
- The importance of diversity in a complex world
- Critical thinking as an important problem solving skill
- Community service and service learning as meaningful activities
- The dignity of all human cultures.