Bridgewater College

CULTURES  OF  AFRICA

SOCIOLOGY  309

Fall 2010

 

Instructor: Dr. Mwizenge S. Tembo                                       August 31st, 2010

OFFICE: Bowman 225                                                     OFFICE  HOURS

PHONE: 828-5351                                                           At least One Hour Everyday

E-mail: mtembo@bridgewater.edu                                   and by Appointment

Class Schedule: TR 11:00-12:15PM

All Cell Phones, Beepers, and Wrist Watch Beepers should be turned off before class. Cell Phones and Beepers should be put away and will not be used during class. 

You are expected to read the attached document at the end of the syllabus titled: “Ethics in Academic Work”. The document is also on the BC web page:

http://www.bridgewater.edu/WritingCenter/BCplagiarism.htm.

Bridgewater College Mission Statement

"The mission of Bridgewater College is to educate and develop the whole person. Our graduates will be equipped to become leaders, living ethical, healthy, useful and fulfilling lives with a strong sense of personal accountability and civic responsibility. This mission is carried out in a learning community, with Christian values, high standards of integrity and excellence, affirming and challenging each member”.

                                                                                           - Bridgewater College Catalog, p. 6

 
 
 

 

 

 

 


Bridgewater College is committed to providing all students equal access to the college’s academic programs and activities. Students who have or think they may have a condition (attentional, learning, visual, hearing, physical, psychological or chronic medical) that impacts learning and for which an accommodation may be desired, are encouraged to contact the Director of Academic Support, Dr. Chip Studwell, 540, 828-5370 or cstudwel@bridgewater.edu. A letter is required from the Academic Support Office, each semester, in order to receive accommodations at Bridgewater.

 

Course Objectives

 

The objectives of the course are to Explore the racial, social, and cultural history of the African Continent and its Cultures in ancient and modern times. These will be achieved first, by Examining what historical, contemporary, international and internal factors have determined and characterized the nature and patterns of African cultures. Secondly, how more specifically Western colonialism, global, and other historical, and internal forces have impacted the political, economic, and social dynamics, legends, mythology, beliefs, customs, children's games and toys, music, language, family, marriage, religion, health, education and many other major aspects of social change in the African society to day.

The Instructor will use some of the following methods of teaching to achieve these objectives:

 

Course Goals:

Upon Completion of the Course, the Student:

  1. Must Describe and Explain the complex geographical features of the African Continent and how these features influence the life styles of its peoples.
  2. Must engage in adequate Analysis and Synthesis in the process becoming cognizant of the economic, social, and political history of the continent and how the European colonial origins and legacy of the current 54 countries may influence their contemporary conditions.
  3. Must appreciate the Complexity and Diversity of the African continent
  4. Must adequately and effectively contextualize and acknowledge contemporary African life in all its successes, cultures, social change, problems, failures, and tragedies.
  5. Will become a better scholar. The instructor will encourage students to be better scholars of Africa through frequent reminders of what it takes to be better scholars.

 

Required readings:

Khapoya, Vincent.,  The African Experience: An Introduction, 3rd Ed.,  New York: Longman, 1994, 1998, 2010.

Achebe, Chinua., Things Fall Apart, New York, Anchor Books: DoubleDay, 1959, 1994.

Tembo, Mwizenge S. The Bridge, Lusaka: Julubbi Enterprises Ltd., 2005

Moseley, William. (Ed.), Talking Sides: Clashing Views on  African Issues,  3rd Edition, Dubuque, Iowa, A Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2009.

Lamouse-Smith, W. Bediako., and School, Joseph., AFIM: Africa Interactive Maps, 1998. Program available in the Bowman Hall Computer Labs.

 

 

Recommended:

Edge, Wayne., Africa, 11th Ed., Global Studies Series, Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin Company, 2006.

New African, London: IC Publications Limited, Monthly magazine Jan 1991 to date available on Reserve and Periodical section in the Library and the Web. http://www.africasia.com/newafrican/

Johnson, Jr., William.,  Retting, Richard., Scott, Gregory M., and Garrison, Stephen M., The Sociology Student Writer’s Manual, 6th Edition, New York: Prentice Hall, 2004, 2006, 2010.

Internet Resources:

www.h-net.org/~africa/

www.africanstudies.org/

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/lweb/indiv/africa/ejournals.html

www.africa.upenn.edu/About_African/ww_hist.html

 

READINGS

Week 1

Aug. 30-Sept 5: The African continent and its People: size, geographical

           characteristics, myths and facts  about The continent, population, and brief

           cultural history,

·       Khapoya, Ch. 1, pp. 1-20;

·       AFIM: Africa Interactive Maps

·       Chinua Achebe, Ch. 1-5, pp. 3-45.

Week  2                           

Sept. 6 - 12: Africa: Traditional Social Institutions: Family and Marriage, kinship,

             religious beliefs, politics, and government.

·       Khopaya, Ch. 2, pp. 21 - 63

·       Achebe,  Ch. 6-11, pp.46-109.

Week 3              

Sept. 13 - 19: Political Development in Historic Africa; prehistoric Africa, ancient

              Africa, 19th century Africa, North, West, East, and Southern African

              regions.

·       Khopaya, Ch. 3, pp. 64-106,

·       Achebe, Ch. 12- 25; pp.110-209

Week 4                               

Sept. 20 - 26: Colonialism and the African Experience, rationale for imperialism in

              Africa, British and French colonialism, Portuguese and Belgian

              Colonialism, colonial administrative styles: direct and indirect rule, the

              Economics of Colonialism, did African benefit from Colonialism?

·       Khopaya, Ch. 4, pp. 107- -149

·       AFIM: Africa Interactive Maps

Week 5                       

Sept. 27-Oct. 3: African Nationalism, and the Struggle for Freedom; modern African

               nationalism, missionary churches, World Wars I and II, Pan-Africanism,

               The League of Nations and the United Nations, Independence Movements.

·      Khapoya, Chapter 5, pp.150-180              

Week 6

Oct. 4-10: African Independence: The First Thirty Years; Decolonization and the

                Transfer of Power, regionalism and Separation; Nigeria and East Africa,

                Problems at Indepepndence, Political Instability, One-Party Systems,

                African Socialism; Ghana, Tanzania; What went wrong in Independent

                Africa?

·      Khopaya, Ch. 6, pp. 181-223

Week 7                       

Oct.14 - 15: The African Struggle for Democracy and Free Markets; struggle for

               democracy, economic reforms, NEPAD

·      Khopaya, Ch. 7, pp. 224- 247

Week 8                        FALL BREAK

Oct. 20 - 24:  Lecture: Topic to be Announced.

·       

Week 9

Oct. 25 – 31: Africa in World Affairs, the Cold War, the Non-Aligned Movement, the

               Organization of African Unity, The African Union, The United States and

               Africa, the Soviet Union and Africa.

·      Khopaya,Ch. 8, pp. 248-281. 

·      The Bridge: Tembo, Ch. 1- 9, pp.1-105

Week 10

Nov.1 – 7: The Bridge: Tembo, Ch. 10-17, pp. 106-190

 

Week 11

Nov 8-14: Term Paper Project Review

Week 12

Nov. 15 - 21:   Project PowerPoint Class Term Paper Presentations

Nov. 23-29:  THANKSGIVING  BREAK

Week 13

Nov. 30-Dec. 3: Review for Final Exams 

      

Week 14

Dec. 7: 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.   FINAL EXAMS

 

 

DUE DATE                 ASSIGNMENT                           POINTS      % of GRADE

Sept. 7             Quiz Names of  African Countries         20                3.36%

Sept. 14           Characteristics of Africa (AFIM)

                        and Global  Studies (4 pages)             30                5.05%

To be Announced                                                            3  Tests (65x3 points each)           195               32.77%

To be announced                   Class  Discussions/Project(s)            100               16.80%

Oct. 5               Exploratory Paper  (4 - 6 pages)            50                 8.40%

Nov. 16 & 18                        Comprehensive Power Point

                               Presentations                                 50                 8.40%

Dec. 3              Summary Paper (5 Pages)                     50                 8.40%

Dec.    7                                                      FINAL EXAM            100               16.80%

TOTAL                                                           595             100.00

              

 

Grading:

90  -  100%          A

80  -    89%          B

70  -    79%          C

60  -     69%         D

59% and below     F         

                   

PAPER

All academic papers must always be well organized with a good title,  introduction, well defined objectives, well written, with proper punctuation, good spelling, proper length, proper citing of sources in the text of your paper, and a reference list at the end of the paper. Monosource never make for good research papers. Always use several sources which are a mix of types of sources; books, journals, and the internet.

 

45-50 points (A): Paper has all of the above very well done with a good conclusion with a clear demonstration of your point of view based on the alternative hypotheses, arguments, perspectives and discussions clearly demonstrated in the paper.

 

40-44 points (B/B+): Paper has some or all of the above done in an average to satisfactory manner.

 

35-39 points (C/C+): Paper has some of the above  done but in a below average manner with the paper being rather short.

 

30-35 points (D/D+): Paper is poorly written with very few of the above done. Paper might be poorly organized and rather short.

 

Below 29 points (F): Bad paper with most of the above missing

 

 

Students will be expected to do all the required reading before the class, attend lectures, do assignments, participate in class discussions, and take their own notes. When ever necessary, readings will be put on reserve in the Library. The student has the responsibility to contact the instructor for assignments missed for any reason.

 

ALL ASSIGNMENTS MUST BE TURNED IN TO THE INSTRUCTOR ON THEIR DUE DATE. ASSIGNMENTS TURNED IN LATE WILL BE PENALIZED (5 points deducted) FOR  EACH  DAY OVERDUE.