Fall 2015 - LIT 2195: Introduction to Literature of the African Peoples

April 1, 2015

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"There is that great proverb that says until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter." - Chinua Achebe

Africa is more than war, AIDS, starving children, and Ebola.

Let's read some books from the motherland!

Register for LIT 2195: Introduction to the Literature of African Peoples in fall 2015. The class meets on Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30-1:45 p.m. on the Northwest Campus and is taught by Prof. Zahir Small.

Course Information

The emergence of a very large body of African literature has been one of the most interesting literary developments of the last forty years. Yet, few students know of the emerging scholarship, and perhaps, fewer still are given the opportunity to study the literature which illustrates the strength, validity, and beauty, of African life and culture.

An introductory course in the study of major literary works by sub-Sahara African writers offers an opportunity to build a better understanding of African's creative achievements and of the African Diaspora. With some fifty nations, Africa is a vast continent almost three times the size of the continental United States, in which some 400 million people of many cultures and national identities live and speak more than 800 languages.

Given the diversity of African culture and its connections to the African-American culture, this course will provide valuable insights regarding the sensitivity of the people to their surroundings, their commitment to the land and to the community, and their struggle to maintain their values in a crumbling way of life.

The class surveys major works by sub-Sahara African writers in various genres, including traditional oral arts or "orature," poetry, and fiction, representing a diversity of peoples, gender, cultures from western, eastern, and southern areas in Africa.

A grade of C or higher in ENC 1101 and ENC 1102 is required for entry into LIT 2195. This course meets the definition of a writing-intensive Gordon Rule course.

The course supports the mission of the college as stated in these goals: 1) believing intellectual rigor and personal responsibility are cornerstones of success
2) nurturing the individual by encouraging curiosity, communication, creativity, and civility
3) valuing academic freedom, cultural diversity and equity
4) committing to active inquiry for the sake of improving ourselves and our society

General Education Learning Outcome (GELO)
Because LIT2195 focuses on developing studentsâ•˙ understanding of a non-Western cultural system of belief, behavior, and expression that affects societiesâ•˙ world views, values, social institutions, economics, it satisfies the Global and Socio-Cultural Responsibility requirement.