Undergraduate Bulletin

Fall 2024

AFH: Africana Studies/Humanities

AFH 101: The Wonders of the Black World

This class is an introductory, general education, diversity class in which students are introduced to global issues that directly impact their lives. Starting with the construction of Blackness in the United States at the intersection between historical memories and American indigenous knowledge, the class analyzes what it means to be Back today: in the United States first, using the students own environment and histories, and then across the general landscape of Global Blackness. The goal is to lay the background for an appreciation of the Black world in its diverse manifestations from Africa to the Americas (Latin America, United States, Canada, the Caribbean), from Asia (India, the Middle East) to Europe (Spain, France, England, etc.).

SBC:     DIV, GLO

3 credits

AFH 205: Contemporary African Literature

Contemporary African Literature is an introductory course on fictional and nonfictional works by canonized African writers from the African continent and the diaspora. Close readings of literature by authors from the 1950s to the present day, such as Chinua Achebe, Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, and Chimamanda Adichie unveil literary traditions, themes, and motifs specific to African writing. An examination of the writers' attention to topics such as (colonialism, ethnic war, gender oppression, migration, and Afropolitanism) allows for a critical analysis of the historical, social, and political issues on the African continent. The authors' discussions about globalization and its impact on African nations, particularly in relationship to the global marketplace, highlight the paradoxical nature of Africa's rich natural resources (oil, diamonds and coltan) against the continent's economic dependency on global investors. Postcolonialism, Feminism, and Psychoanalytic theory will enrich students' interpretation and analysis of the texts.

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, HUM

3 credits

AFH 206: Great Books of the Black Experience

An exploration of some of the key writings from autobiographies to novels, etc., important to becoming familiar with central lines of thought and interpretation in the larger Black Experience. Focus and readings vary depending on each semester's emphasis.

Advisory Prerequisite: U2 standing

DEC:     B
SBC:     HUM

3 credits

AFH 215: Hip Hop and the Intellectual Tradition

Examines the world of hip-hop, by framing it within the fields of intellectual theory and examining the scholarly and artistic contributions of rap artists, writers, and scholars who intellectualize the global and cultural phenomenon of Hip Hop. This course will attempt to complicate the largely historical and non-theoretical treatment of hip hop in mass-mediated portrayals by engaging in a cultural studies critique of youth cultural formations and the rapid global industrialization of hip-hop. The course will also highlight how contemporary issues concerning racial and gender politics, sexual orientation, globalization, and neocolonialism are tackled by the music and culture.

DEC:     G
SBC:     HUM

3 credits

AFH 249: African-American Literature and Music in the 19th and 20th Centuries

A detailed look at African-American literature and music and their importance for American literature and music of the 19th and 20th centuries. An examination of the literature with attention to the special stylistic devices, tones of literary voice, and characterization that writers use in their efforts to match the music experience with the written word. Selections from the recordings of African-American and African-American inspired musicians -- from Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong to Jimi Henrix and the Rolling Stones.This course is offered as both AFH 249 and EGL 249.

Advisory Prerequisite: one D.E.C. category B or D course or one HUM or ARTS course

DEC:     K
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 282: Contemporary Caribbean Women's Literature

Examines the political, social, and historical experiences of women from anglophone francophone, and hispanophone Caribbean nations. The readings, movies, and projects selected for the course highlight reccurent themes in Caribbean literature such as exile, migration, identity, colorism, slavery, sexual oppression, transnational motherhood, and identity politics. Feminist criticism, Postcolonialsm, and critical race theory will be applied to our reading of the texts. This course is offered as both AFS 282 and WST 282.

SBC:     DIV, GLO, HUM

3 credits

AFH 329: Pan-African Literature I

An examination of the cultural themes of Pan-Africanism and negritude, drawing on a selection of writers from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean. The course treats the development, diffusion, and significance of these themes. It involves intensive consideration of selected literary works of African and African-American expression. This course is offered as both AFH 329 and HUF 318.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisites: Two courses in literature

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, HFA+

3 credits

AFH 330: Pan-African Literature II

An examination of the cultural themes of Pan-Africanism and negritude, drawing on a selection of writers from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean. The course treats the development, diffusion, and significance of these themes. It involves intensive consideration of selected literary works of African and African-American expression.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisites: Two courses in literature

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, HFA+

3 credits

AFH 339: Arts of the African Diaspora

A study of the arts of the African Diaspora from the African continent to Brazil, Surinam, the Caribbean, and the United States. Emphasis is on the full range of art forms, including not only sculptural and performance traditions, but also textiles, basketry, and other crafts. Cultural continuities, spiritual belief, and significant changes in context, meaning, style, and technology are examined. This course is offered as both AFH 339 and ARH 329.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisite: ARH 201

DEC:     G
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 368: Caribbean and American Connections in Literature

An exploration of the connections between writers from the French-speaking and English-speaking Caribbean and from the African-American community, who share a similar cultural heritage, historical heritage, and historical experience, but differ in geopolitical situations. Special attention is paid to spirituality, gender, and identity motifs in the literature. Covers the Interdisciplinary topic for the English major. This course is offered as both AFH 368 and EGL 368.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisite: One literature course at the 200 level or higher

DEC:     G
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 379: Philosophy of Race (III)

Examination of our assumptions about race and the impact of those assumptions on issues concerning gender, class, and sexuality throughout American history. Readings include critical race theory, feminist theory, and critical legal theory. Students examine racial issues from a philosophical perspective and consider the ways in which representations of race may reinforce patterns of power and privilege. This course is offered as both AFH 379 and PHI 379.

Prerequisite: one PHI course

DEC:     K
SBC:     CER, HFA+, USA

3 credits

AFH 380: African American and Caribbean Theatre

African American and Caribbean Theatre examines the connection between Black theatre and political and social movements of the 1940s to the 2000s. The course studies how playwrights use theatre to educate audiences about specific injustices of the day. An historical reading of the plays by playwrights such as Wole Soyinka, August Wilson, Lorraine Hansberry, and Susan Lori Parks introduces students to major topics for discussion in black theatre, including racial politics, socio-political disenfranchisement, the struggle to define self, and alienation from the community/society.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     G
SBC:     GLO, HFA+

3 credits

AFH 382: Black Women's Literature of the African Diaspora

Black women's literature presents students with the opportunity to examine through literature the political, social, and historical experiences of Black women from the African Diaspora. The course is structured around five major themes commonly addressed in Black women's writing: Black female oppression, sexual politics of Black womanhood, Black female sexuality, Black male/female relationships, and Black women and defining self. Covers the Interdisciplinary topic for the English major. This course is offered as AFH 382, EGL 382, and WST 382.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     G
SBC:     DIV, HFA+

3 credits

AFH 385: French Caribbean Literature

A study of representative texts from the French Caribbean translated into English, focusing on literary manifestations of a search for a specific identity by writers from Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Haiti. This course is offered as both AFH 385 and HUF 385.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     J
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 390: Topics in Africana Studies

May be repeated for credit as the topic changes. Designed for upper-division students, this course provides an in-depth study of a specific topic within humanities disciplines such as music, art, literature, religion, and philosophy. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods used in the humanities discipline(s) studied. Past topics have included titles such as Black Women Writers; Autobiography and Biography as Black History; and The African Novel: Origins and Development. May be repeated as the topic changes.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisite: AFS 101 or 102 or two courses in the humanities

DEC:     G
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 391: Topics in Africana Studies

May be repeated for credit as the topic changes. Designed for upper-division students, this course provides an in-depth study of a specific topic within humanities disciplines such as music, art, literature, religion, and philosophy. Students will be expected to demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods used in the humanities discipline(s) studied. Past topics have included titles such as Black Women Writers; Autobiography and Biography as Black History; and The African Novel: Origins and Development. May be repeated as the topic changes.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisite: AFS 101 or 102 or two courses in the humanities

DEC:     G
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 423: Africana Literature in French

An examination of a range of literature in French produced by writers throughout the African diaspora who claim affiliation with Africa. While the course is conducted in French, students will have the option to write papers in either French or English. Competence in reading and speaking French is a requirement for the course. This course is offered as both AFH 423 and FRN 423.

Prerequisite: A 200-level course in literature. For French majors, FRN 395, 396 or Permission of the Instructor.

DEC:     J
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFH 444: Experiential Learning

This course is designed for students who engage in a substantial, structured experiential learning activity in conjunction with another class. Experiential learning occurs when knowledge acquired through formal learning and past experience are applied to a "real-world" setting or problem to create new knowledge through a process of reflection, critical analysis, feedback and synthesis. Beyond-the-classroom experiences that support experiential learning may include: service learning, mentored research, field work, or an internship.

Prerequisite: WRT 102 or equivalent; permission of the instructor and approval of the EXP+ contract (http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/bulletin/current/policiesandregulations/degree_requirements/EXPplus.php)

SBC:     EXP+

0 credit, S/U grading

AFH 447: Readings in Africana Studies

Individually supervised reading in selected topics in the Black Experience. May be repeated once.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor and program director

SBC:     ESI

1-3 credits

AFH 475: Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I

Work with a faculty member as an assistant in one of the faculty member's regularly scheduled classes. The student is required to attend all the classes, do all the regularly assigned work, and meet with the faculty member at regularly scheduled times to discuss the intellectual and pedagogical matters relating to the course. Students may not serve as teaching assistants in the same course twice. Not for major or minor credit.

Prerequisites: Africana studies major or minor; U4 standing; permission of instructor

SBC:     EXP+

3 credits, S/U grading

AFH 476: Undergraduate Teaching Practicum II

Work with a faculty member as an assistant in one of the faculty member's regularly scheduled classes. The student is required to attend all the classes, do all the regularly assigned work, and meet with the faculty member at regularly scheduled times to discuss the intellectual and pedagogical matters relating to the course. Students assume greater responsibility in such areas as leading discussions and analyzing results of tests that have already been graded. Students may not serve as teaching assistants in the same course twice. Not for major or minor credit.

Prerequisites: AFS 475; permission of instructor

SBC:     EXP+

3 credits, S/U grading

AFH 487: Research in Africana Studies

Individual research projects in the Black Experience carried out under the direct supervision of a faculty member. May be repeated to a limit of 6 credits.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor and program director

SBC:     ESI

0-3 credits

AFS: Africana Studies/Social and Behavioral Sciences

AFS 101: Themes in the Black Experience I

An historical survey of the experience of black people against the background of a thorough review of American history and the events which impacted upon the black experience in America. This course also examines the responses of African Americans to the changing historical circumstances that they encountered in the United States. Consideration is also given to the similarities and differences among the lifestyles of people of African descent in America. This course treats themes to 1865.

DEC:     F
SBC:     CER, SBS, USA

3 credits

AFS 102: Themes in the Black Experience II

An historical survey of the experience of black people against the background of a thorough review of American history and the events which impacted upon the black experience in America. This course also examines the responses of African Americans to the changing historical circumstances that they encountered in the United States. Consideration is also given to the similarities and differences among the lifestyles of people of African descent in America. This course treats themes from 1865 to the present.

DEC:     F
SBC:     CER, SBS, USA

3 credits

AFS 221: Introduction to Modern African History

Historical themes in 19th- and 20th-century Africa. Topics include social and political relations in African states; slavery and the slave trade in West Africa; the impact of Christianity and Islam on African colonialism; colonialism and its consequences; nationalist movements and de-colonization; pan-Africanism and the politics of African unity; the postcolonial state project; economic planning in postcolonial Africa; and African states and international politics in the Cold War era. This course is offered as both AFS 221 and HIS 221.

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS

3 credits

AFS 223: Regional History of Africa

Given the immensity of the African continent, it is often divided into regions (such as east, west, north, or southern, equatorial, the Horn, the Sahel, Atlantic or Indian Ocean) to explore connections and boundaries. This course gives students the opportunity to focus more deeply on a region of Africa. The particular region examined will change each semester. Factors that integrate a region may be environment and land use strategies, long-distance trade networks, religious communities, imperialism, and political regimes. The course will examine the challenges to regional integration, such as conflicts, language diversity, and separatist movements. This course is offered as both AFS 223 and HIS 223. Students may repeat the course when the region changes.

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS

3 credits

AFS 239: Introduction to the Caribbean Experience

An introduction to the political economy of contemporary Caribbean societies with emphasis on the historical roots of their present underdevelopment.

Advisory Prerequisite: one D.E.C. category F course or SBS course

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO

3 credits

AFS 240: Issues in Caribbean Society

An analysis of the process of social change in the English, Spanish, and French Caribbean with special emphasis on those societies undergoing rapid transformation.

Advisory Prerequisites: AFS 101, 102, and 239

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO

3 credits

AFS 277: The Modern Color Line

An exploration of the significance of race in 19th- and early 20th-century America. Topics include forms of political organization and collective struggle; the social and psychic consequences of racist subjection; the relationship among race, racism, and culture; and the cultural politics of race and gender. This course is offered as both AFS 277 and HIS 277.

DEC:     K & 4
SBC:     USA

3 credits

AFS 283: Community Service

The Stony Brook University AFS 283 Community Outreach Mentoring Program, in partnership with Tri Community and Youth Agency, is a mentoring program designed to provide support and guidance for at risk students from underserved neighborhoods in Huntington, Long Island. Through field experience, readings, research, and discussion, students focus on social and educational problems relating primarily to the African-American and Latin experience. May be repeated once.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

SBC:     EXP+

3 credits, S/U grading

AFS 300: Blacks in the City

The urban experiences of blacks as a force in determining the character, culture, and social climate of the American city. A central theme is that blacks have greatly impacted U.S. urban life and made important contributions to its sense of vitality and cultural diversity.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 306: Gender and Public Health in Africa

Examines approaches to disease prevention and treatment through public health systems in African countries. The impact of global health organizations such as WHO, UNAIDS and other UN bodies and international development organizations on domestic health care policy is also analyzed. An emphasis is placed on identifying the most prominent public health issues in each of the county case studies and identifying points of convergence and divergence among them. More specifically their relationships to gender equality, education, and economic security and population displacement will be evaluated using Intersectionality as a theoretical framework. Disparities in access to health insurance, treatment, and medication, and funding mechanisms will be analyzed.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 308: Women Islam and Political Change in Africa

Explores the impact of Islam on political institutions and representation in Africa. Using the example of how Muslim women in West, North, Southern, and East Africa are mobilizing to address gender inequality, explores variations in the formation of Islamist movements and examine the influence of moderate, progressive, and more radical forms of political Islam on the experiences of women. In order to provide students with a comprehensive picture, Islam and politics is contextualized by focusing on the experiences of selected countries from East and West Africa including Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Senegal. This course is offered as both AFS 308 and POL 308.

Prerequisite: U2 or higher standing

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 310: American Attitudes Toward Race

An historical examination of the growth and development of racism in America from the arrival of the first Africans to the continent to the present day. The focus is on African Americans and their relationships with the American system, its institutions, and culture. References are made to other ethnic groups in order to give balance to the examination of social conditions and attitudes shaping American society throughout.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 319: The Politics of Race

An analysis of political concepts often associated with racism and the tracing of the origins of the concept of race. Forms in which racism manifests itself today are identified and discussed showing the similarities and differences where they exist.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     F
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 320: Black Popular Culture and the Terrain

A study of black popular culture in 20th century America through close readings of text, music, and film. We will examine black cultural production and its relationship to black political activism, particularly in the urban terrain. Enables students to interrogate the relationship between African Americans, culture and American society during the 20th century.

Prerequisite: one D.E.C. F or SBS course

DEC:     K
SBC:     HFA+

3 credits

AFS 325: Civil Rights and Black Power

The course considers how the 'long civil rights movement' and century-long struggles for Black Power were interwined movements, rather than conventional narratives that conceive them as being opposed to one another. The course will therefore span the whole of the twentieth century, beginning with the founding of the United Negro Improvement Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and it will conclude with the turn from civil rights to economic justice, Black political empowerment, and campaigns against police brutality. Offered as both AFS 325 and HIS 325.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing; 1 D.E.C. F or SBS course

DEC:     K & 4
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 337: The Politics of Africa

A study of nationalism, political thought, and political institutions in Africa. Consideration is given to the quest for unity, the problems of liberation, and the political implications of social change. This course is offered as both AFS 337 and POL 337.

Prerequisites: Two AFS or POL courses; U2 or higher standing

DEC:     J
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 339: Recent African American History

A study of recent African American history. Topics will include the dramatic increase in the number of black elected officials, rise of the black middle-class, the urban crisis, contemporary civil rights struggles, affirmative action, the decline of black radicalism, and the incorporation of black leadership. Enables students to examine the relationship between African Americans and American society during the past 100 years, particularly since 1970. This course is offered as both AFS 339 and HIS 339.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing; 1 D.E.C. F or SBS course

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+, USA

3 credits

AFS 340: Human Rights and Africa

A study of the significance of Africa in the development of international human rights. The courses focuses on the images of Africa generated by international human rights organizations and activists, the conceptions of human rights developed by African states and people, and the variable impact of human rights discourse and practice on African quests for equality and justice. This course analyzes the political, historical, and ethical complexity of international human rights' engagement with Africa.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

SBC:     CER, DIV, SBS+, SPK

3 credits

AFS 345: Culture and Gender: Women in Africa and the Caribbean

Comparative analysis of the status and role of women in colonial and contemporary societies of Africa and the Caribbean. Exploration of the forces that shape women's lives and the ways in which women have contributed to the development of these societies.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

DEC:     J
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 346: Political and Social History of Africa

An exploration of theoretical perspectives in the historical sociology and comparative politics of Africa. Topics include the crisis of state legitimacy; the patriarchal society; ethnicity, religion, and politics; the politics of modernization; development and the environment; population growth and underdevelopment; globalization, neo-liberal economic policy and the postcolonial state; and the history of state and society relations.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing; 1 D.E.C. F or SBS course

DEC:     J
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 350: Black Women and Social Change: A Cross-Cultural Perspective

A cross-cultural survey of the history of black women in the context of the struggles for social justice in the Caribbean (English- and Spanish-speaking), Africa, and the United States. Several major topics are covered: the slave resistance and the anti-slavery movement; the anti-colonial struggle in Africa and the Caribbean; the trade union movement in the United States and Africa; the struggle against underdevelopment in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica; and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. This course is offered as both AFS 350 and WST 350.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     J
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 355: Ancient African Civilizations

African archaeology is reshaping global debates on the origins of agriculture and civilization. This course examines the prehistoric economic foundations of Africa's complex societies: intensive hunting and gathering, early herding, and plant domestication. Detailed case studies of ancient civilizations (Egypt, Aksum, Jenne, Swahili, and Great Zimbabwe) reveal distinct processes of prehistoric social change in different parts of Africa. Students consider the implications of archaeology for African heritage conservation, research, and public education. This course is offered as both AFS 355 and ANT 355.

Prerequisites: One 100-level course in AFS or ANT

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 360: African-American Social Commentary

A study of African-American responses to the social order in America. The course concentrates on the various ways African Americans have conceptualized and described their condition since their arrival in America. Discussion of the solutions proposed by African-American spokespersons from the Civil War period to the present day.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+, USA

3 credits

AFS 363: Blacks and Mass Media

An historical examination of the major media characterizations of black Americans and the Black Experience, and the impact of these portrayals on American society at large. The roles of newspapers, books, magazines, plays, radio, movies, television, and advertisements are studied.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     F
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 365: Global Africa

Examination of the ways that the slave trade and colonization affected African societies' incorporation into the world economy as well as the development of their social and political institutions. The nature of African institutions, organizations, belief and value systems before the colonial impact and how these histories were understood and experienced by African men and women are considered. The historical continuities and discontinuities in contemporary African societies as well as the effects of globalization and modernization in Africa are examined. This course is offered as both AFS 365 and SOC 365.

Prerequisite: one D.E.C. F or SBS course or U3/U4 status

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 368: Health and Disease in Africa

Health and disease lie at the intersection of social, political, economic, biological, and cultural processes. In other words, they have changed throughout human history, and they are not just defined by scientists and doctors but by many more actors. This course has two goals: to introduce students to the study of disease and health as historical phenomena and to examine Africa's importance within global and regional histories of these subjects. We will explore how the experiences of sickness and well-being have changed over time. This course is offered as both AFS 368 and HIS 368.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing; 1 D.E.C. F or SBS course

DEC:     J
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 369: Religion and Politics in Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to many religions' indigenous belief systems, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam It is also arguably a region with a history of peaceful coexistence until recent decades. This course examines African religious transformations, encounters, exchanges, and conflicts. Topics to be covered include medieval and modern theocracies, reformism and jihad, literacy, gender hierarchies, education, European colonialism and Christian proselytization, Islamic evangelism, and religion and resistance to foreign domination. We will also explore theories about charismatic leadership, modernization, secularization, and radicalism. This course is offered as both AFS 369 and HIS 369.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing; 1 D.E.C. F or SBS course

DEC:     J
SBC:     CER, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 370: The African-American Family

The African-American family from the early 1800's to the present day. The nature and structure of that family, the obstacles it has faced, and its interrelationships with the African-American community and the diversity of American society.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     HFA+, USA

3 credits

AFS 372: African-American Political Thought

A critical analysis of the major architects of black political thought and their movements in the context of their distinctive historical development. Emphasis is on the intellectual and ideological ferment of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+, USA

3 credits

AFS 373: Sexualities: African and Caribbean Perspectives

Designed to introduce students to the complexities of human sexuality from a perspective that places subaltern individuals at the center of the analysis. It locates these individuals, and their sexual practices, in the tropics--or "warm, warm climates"--first in those man-made communities where sexuality was one of the (unspoken) exigencies of the slave economy and later in the modern era where the slave economy gave way to "neo-colonies."

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     J
SBC:     DIV, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 374: Environment and Development in African History

Provides a critical exploration of the history and political-economy of environmental changes and human activities in Africa from earlier times to the present. It examines the ways in which the dynamics of human-environment relationship have shaped the development of African societies and economies from the rise of ancient civilizations to the contemporary problems of war and famine. Although significant attention will be given to the pre-colonial era (like the impacts of iron-working, irrigation, deforestation and desertification), the focus of the course will be on the 20th and century and after, looking at the impacts of imperialism, colonialism, globalization and the postcolonial quest for development on the state of the environment in Africa. In the discussion, we will demonstrate that the shaping of African environments and ecologies is a product of complex, evolving and interconnected developments between humans and nature within and beyond the African continent. Offered as both AFS 374 and SUS 374. Not for credit in addition to SBC 320 or SBC 374.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 375: Slavery

The historical experience of blacks in slavery from a social and historical perspective with emphasis on the American South and with comparative references to slave systems as they developed in the western hemisphere.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     F
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 380: Race and Ethnicity in Latin America and the Caribbean

Concepts and theories of race and ethnicity in Latin American and Caribbean settings. The historical evolution and the contemporary social and cultural significance of racial and ethnic identities within the region are explored. Specific examples of social relations characterized by ethnic or racial conflict are presented. This course is offered as both AFS 380 and ANT 380.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisite: AFS 240 or LAC 200

DEC:     J
SBC:     GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 381: AIDS, Race, and Gender in the Black Community

Review of current biological and epidemiological knowledge about the HIV virus, and examination of the virus' social impact on the Black community. This course is offered as both AFS 381 and WST 381.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing; one D.E.C. E or SNW course

DEC:     H
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 382: Race, Ethnicity and the Environment

A historical survey of how African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Asian Americans have been the victims of injustice in the way their environments were violated beginning in the nineteenth century. To better understand the birth of the environmental justice movement, we will engage sources about the history of various people's relationship to nature and how they used their knowledge of the environment forged greater community awareness following the civil rights movement. We will also attempt to understand the values that certain cultural groups place on the environment.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

3 credits

AFS 383: The Global African Diaspora in Comparative Perspective

Provides a conceptual and thematic exploration of the principal issues and forces in the socio-cultural and political history of the global African diaspora. Temporally, the course focuses the pre-16th century, the 16th-20th centuries, and the more recent period. Spatially, the course investigates, by comparing, the experiences of both the Atlantic and Indian Ocean/Red Sea African diasporas and teases out their commonalities and divergences. Thematically, the course will help students develop a deeper and critical understanding of how and why African diasporic identities emerged, converged and diverged over the centuries. Students will engage in class discussions and debates, making presentations, and writing reflective/evaluative papers on the issues as well as on readings, documentaries, and movies used in the class.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

DEC:     J
SBC:     DIV, GLO, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 392: The Black Power Movement

A study of the Black Power Movement's promotions of racial pride, self-determination, unity, and revolution in American society and abroad from 1955-1975.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 393: The Caribbean Immigrants in the United States: Dreams and Realities

This course analyzes the forces that shape Caribbean migration to the United States and the pressures that are exerted upon the immigrants to fit into the United States' social structure. It also explores the immigrants' responses to these pressures as they choose among the following possibilities: total assimilation into the ranks of the existing ethnic and racial minority groups, multicultural identity, and transnational identity.

Prerequisite: Junior or Senior Standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+, USA

3 credits

AFS 394: Black Nationalism in America

A study of the history of black nationalism in America. Centered around racial pride, unity, and self-determination, black nationalism has been a potent strain within African Americans' long struggle for liberation within America's shores and beyond.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

DEC:     K
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 396: Topics in African-American History

Topics may include titles such as Urban African-American history Since 1865; and Slavery, Abolition, and Emancipation 1600-Present. Designed for upper-division students, this course provides an in-depth study of a specific topic relating to American history. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of 1) a basic narrative of American history, political, economic, social, and cultural, including knowledge of unity and diversity within American society; 2) knowledge of common institutions in American society and how they have affected different groups; and 3) an understanding of America's evolving relationship with the rest of the world. May be repeated as the topic changes.

Prerequisite: AFS 101 or 102 or HIS 103 or HIS 104

DEC:     K & 4
SBC:     SBS+

3 credits

AFS 410: Computers and Technology in Africa

Examines how African countries utilize information technology (IT) with special emphasis on information communication technologies ICTs, development, and increasing market access. A survey of the basic structures of IT will foreground discussions about the applications of IT, ICTs and social media platforms to leverage social capital and mobilize politically. An emphasis is placed on analyzing the relationships among hardware, social media, software (apps, etc.), databases, networks and variations in infrastructure through country case studies. The selection of case studies include IT incubators such as Kenya and countries with less IT infrastructure to compare sub-regional trends and best practices.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

DEC:     H
SBC:     STAS

3 credits

AFS 421: Topics in Africana Studies

May be repeated as the topic changes.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisites: AFS 101 or 102 or two other courses in the social sciences

3 credits

AFS 422: Topics in Africana Studies

May be repeated as the topic changes.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 standing

Advisory Prerequisites: AFS 101 or 102 or two other courses in the social sciences

3 credits

AFS 444: Experiential Learning

This course is designed for students who engage in a substantial, structured experiential learning activity in conjunction with another class. Experiential learning occurs when knowledge acquired through formal learning and past experience are applied to a "real-world" setting or problem to create new knowledge through a process of reflection, critical analysis, feedback and synthesis. Beyond-the-classroom experiences that support experiential learning may include: service learning, mentored research, field work, or an internship.

Prerequisite: WRT 102 or equivalent; permission of the instructor and approval of the EXP+ contract (http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/bulletin/current/policiesandregulations/degree_requirements/EXPplus.php)

SBC:     EXP+

0 credit, S/U grading

AFS 447: Readings in Africana Studies

Individually supervised readings in selected topics in the Black Experience. May be repeated once.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

SBC:     ESI

1-3 credits

AFS 459: Write Effectively in Africana Studies

A zero credit course that may be taken in conjunction with any 300- or 400-level Africana Studies course, with permission of the instructor. The course provides opportunity to practice the skills and techniques of effective academic writing and satisfies the learning outcomes of the Stony Brook Curriculum's WRTD learning objective.

Prerequisite: WRT 102; permission of the instructor

SBC:     WRTD

0 credit, S/U grading

AFS 475: Undergraduate Teaching Practicum I

Work with a faculty member as an assistant in one of the faculty member's regularly scheduled classes. The student is required to attend all the classes, do all the regularly assigned work and meet with the faculty member at regularly scheduled times to discuss the intellectual and pedagogical matters relating to the course. Not for major or minor credit.

Prerequisites: Africana studies major or minor; U4 standing; permission of instructor

SBC:     EXP+

3 credits, S/U grading

AFS 476: Undergraduate Teaching Practicum II

Work with a faculty member as an assistant in one of the faculty member's regularly scheduled classes. Students assume greater responsibility in such areas as leading discussions and analyzing results of tests that have already been graded. The course in which the student is permitted to work as a teaching assistant must be different from the course in which he or she previously served. Not for major or minor credit.

Prerequisites: AFS 475; permission of instructor

SBC:     EXP+

3 credits, S/U grading

AFS 477: Qualitative & Mixed Methods

Exposes students to qualitative and mixed methods research including epistemological, ontological debates, research design, methodologies, data analysis, and applications in scholarly published works. A combination of mixed methods approaches utilized in political science and the interdisciplinary fields of African Studies, Africana Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies are explored. Key methods that will be covered include interviews (unstructured, semi-structured, structured), oral histories, case studies, analytical narratives, participant observation and ethnography, focus groups, large-N studies, GIS, sequencing of methods, databases, and content analysis. Students will develop a research proposal that can be utilized for senior projects. This course is offered as both AFS 477 and POL 477.

Prerequisite: U3 or U4 status

SBC:     CER, ESI, SBS+

3 credits

AFS 487: Research in Africana Studies

Individual research projects in the Black Experience carried out under the direct supervision of a faculty member. May be repeated to a limit of 6 credits.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor

SBC:     ESI

0-3 credits

AFS 488: Internship

Participation in public and private agencies and organizations under the supervision of a faculty sponsor. Students are required to submit progress reports and a final written report on their experiences to the faculty sponsor. May be repeated up to a limit of 12 credits.

Prerequisites: Africana studies major or minor; 15 credits in AFS courses; permission of instructor and program director

SBC:     EXP+

0-6 credits, S/U grading

AFS 491: Interdisciplinary Seminar in Africana Studies

Exposes students to methods of research and writing within history, anthropology, literature, sociology, etc., important to understanding and producing scholarship related to the African heritage. Exploration of the ways in which past and present research and writing have portrayed Africans. The importance of interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies to understanding Africana Studies is emphasized. Students are required to select topics, conduct in-depth library research and present their findings in written and oral formats.

Prerequisites: U4 standing; six courses in Africana Studies; permission of instructor and department

3 credits