Africana Studies
AFRS 1. Ethnic Experience
Examines the experiences of various ethnic minorities in the U.S., addresses the issue of race as it affects ethnic formation, analyzes public policy and ethnic experience, discusses the comparable ideologies of race and gender, and evaluates culture and ethnic experience.
Units: 3
AFRS 10. Introduction to Africana Studies
Prerequisite: GE Foundation A2 for students in English college-readiness Category III and IV. A survey course designed to introduce students to the vast array of scholarship defining the African American experience as they relate to the experiences of Africans on the continent and other peoples of African descent in the Diaspora. (Formerly AFAM 10) G.E. Breadth D2.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
GE Area: D2
AFRS 15. Slavery and the American Experience
Prerequisite: GE Foundation A2 for students in English college-readiness Category III and IV. A survey course examining the role of slavery in the economic, political and social development of the United States from the founding of the colonies through the revolutionary period to the civil war and beyond. G.E. Breadth F.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Spring
GE Area: F
AFRS 20. Critical Thinking About Race
This course uses critical thinking skills to discuss, analyze, and critique centuries-old ideas on race/ethnicity and the social policies that were enacted to promote prejudice and discrimination against minorities with a special focus on peoples of African decent and American Indians.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
GE Area: A3
AFRS 21. Gospel Choir
(Same as Music 102GC) Performance of a variety of inspirational songs reflecting the African American cultural experience. Participation through rehearsals, activities, programs, and field trips.
Units: 1, Repeatable up to 99 units
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
AFRS 24. African American Music
The origin and evolution of African American music from the perspective of social and cultural history. Emphasis on slave songs, gospel, jazz, rhythm and blues, and soul music.
Units: 3
AFRS 27. Black Popular Culture
Prerequisite: GE Foundation A2 for students in English college-readiness Category III and IV. Introduction to the historical and contemporary experiences of African Americans. Examines historical and social arrangements implicated in the experiences and the images these arrangements construct both in the United States and around the world. G.E. Breadth F. (Formerly AFAM 27)
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
GE Area: F
AFRS 35. Art and Music of Africa
Comprehensive study of African artistry and music.
Units: 3
AFRS 36. Contemporary African Societies
Analysis of the cultural and political structure of African societies; understanding the impact of colonialism in Africa; realizing the relationship of African Americans to Africa.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
AFRS 38. Sociology of the Black Experience
Basic principles sociology and their application to the black experience. This introductory course utilizes the sociological approach to seek an understanding of the various experiences of black people in society. Involves participant observation, interviewing, and field trips. (Formerly AFAM 38).
Units: 3
AFRS 40. Law, Policing, and Black Communities
Introduction to the historical and contemporary experiences of African Americans as shaped by laws, policing, and the prison system. Examines African American perceptions of the legal system, including their efforts to implement change. G.E. Breadth F.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
GE Area: F
AFRS 55T. Topics in African American Studies
Selected topics at the introductory level in African American Studies.
Units: 1-3, Repeatable up to 9 units
AFRS 56. The African American Family
Deals with the origin, development, and adaptations the African American family has created to sustain itself as a viable institution. Emphasis is on problems encountered and created by the American society and how the African American family handles these adversities.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
AFRS 60. Introduction to African American Theatre
Study and practice in performance of African American drama and oral interpretation projects. Class will include poetry reading; dance performances; dramatic interpretations; comedic sketches. Previous experience not required.
Units: 3
AFRS 68. Black Protest from Emmett Till to Breonna Taylor
Prerequisite: GE Foundation A2 for students in English college-readiness Category III and IV. Introduction to historical and contemporary Black experience related to social protest/justice from 1955 to the present, including the Civil Rights Movement, Black Power, and the movement for Black lives. Emphasis on racial justice with inclusion of intersectionality and diverse identities. G.E. Breadth F.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
GE Area: F
AFRS 102A. African Dance
Focuses on the history of African dance in the United States, uses of dance among Africans/African Americans. Activities include dance techniques; imagery/visualization, dance exercises; simple constructive rest techniques; African dance step techniques preparatory for advance class. (2 lecture, 2 activity hours)
Units: 3
AFRS 104W. Writing About American Inequality
Prerequisite: satisfactory completion (C or better) of the ENGL 5B or ENGL 10 graduation requirement. Analysis of poverty, social class, and inequality in America. Students receive feedback in preparing papers on poverty and inequality. Emphasis on research techniques, evaluation and documentation of evidence, and style and mechanics of writing. Meets the upper-division writing skills requirement for graduation. (Formerly ETHS 104W)
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
AFRS 121. Gospel Choir
(Same as Music 102GC) Performance of a variety of inspirational songs reflecting the African American cultural experience. Participation through rehearsals, activities, programs, and field trips.
Units: 1, Repeatable up to 99 units
AFRS 129. African American Literary Classics
Prerequisite: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area C. Discussion and written analyses of significant poetry, drama, fiction, and nonfiction by African American writers representing a variety of views and perspectives. Historical and social contexts of literary works. G.E. Integration IC.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
GE Area: IC
AFRS 130T. Topics in Ethnic Studies
In-depth research and writing on the past and contemporary situation of America's major ethnic minorities.
Units: 1-3, Repeatable up to 6 units
AFRS 135. The African American Community
Analysis of the various lifestyles and cultural patterns of African American communities. Emphasis on unique cultural features of the family, religion, foods, music, art, and folkways. (Formerly AFAM 135)
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
AFRS 137. African American Women
(AFRS 137 same as WGSS 137.) An overview of the accomplishments of African American women in the United States; their contributions to American culture; African influence; African American women as defined by a dominant society vs. legitimate definition designed to encourage a positive self-concept.
Units: 3
AFRS 139. The African American Experience: Black Men and the Search for Self-Liberation
In this course, we will study the history of Black men, Black masculinity, and representations of Black men in media over the last century.. We will explore Black men's relationships with Black women, the State, and to other Black men. (Formerly AFRS 130T).
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
AFRS 140. The African American Church
History of the formation and development of African American religious institutions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) in the African American community; their effect on the African American personality.
Units: 3
AFRS 142. Hip Hop Culture
Analysis of the pre-history, formal advent, and subsequent cultural development and expansion of Hip-Hop primarily in Africana communities. Examines how Hip-Hop's history, politics, and economics in America shapes Africana gender identities, political sensibilities, and cultural worldviews. (Formerly AFRS 55T).
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Spring
AFRS 144. Race Relations
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation, Breadth Area D and PLSI 2. Analysis of the moral and intellectual issues surrounding the attitudes of whites toward blacks and other racial groups in the United States and elsewhere. Explores the functions of race relations and the social life that developed among non-white groups themselves. G.E. Integration ID. (Formerly AFAM 144)
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Spring
GE Area: ID
AFRS 145. Life and Times of Martin Luther King Jr.
Explores Dr. King's leadership in the nonviolent movement for racial equality and human dignity, from the Montgomery Bus Boycott to King's assassination (1955-68). Emphasis on philosophy, ideology. Format: lectures, films, slides, recorded speeches, and discussion.
Units: 3
AFRS 146. Law and the Minority Community
Critical analysis of the foundation and changing structure of law and legal institutions as perceived by minority communities, with emphasis on equal employment and education, criminal justice, and political power.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Spring
AFRS 148. Issues in the African American Community
Prerequisite: AFRS 10 or permission of instructor. In-depth, comprehensive, critical analysis of the current social and economic structure of the African American community. Examination of the effects of institutional racism on current social policy.
Units: 3
AFRS 150. South Africa
Prerequisites: G.E. Foundation and Breadth Area D. An introductory analysis of the social, racial, political, and economic problems of people of South Africa, both past and present. Multicultural/International M/I.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Spring
AFRS 164. African Cultural Perspectives
This course explores the realities of the African cultural experiences through readings and films by Africans. The goal is to study the historical, political, economic, religious, and socio-cultural conditions of the continent in the pre-colonial, colonial, and postcolonial periods. Multicultural/International M/I.
Units: 3
Course Typically Offered: Fall
AFRS 165. African-American Theatre
(DRAMA 187 same as AFRS 165.) Performance, scene development, and dramatic styles consistent with the African American experience. Exploration of cross-cultural aesthetics as they inform creative development. Development of self-written or published scenes and plays. (Formerly AFAM 165)
Units: 3, Repeatable up to 6 units
AFRS 178. History of African Americans
(HIST 178 same as AFRS 178.)
Units: 3
AFRS 189. Fieldwork in Community Relations
Supervised field observation, participation, and documentation in the operation of minority communities.
Units: 3, Repeatable up to 6 units
Course Typically Offered: Spring
AFRS 190. Independent Study
See Academic Placement -- Independent Study. Approved for RP grading.
Units: 1-3, Repeatable up to 6 units
Course Typically Offered: Fall, Spring
AFRS 191. History of Allensworth
An examination of the historical development of the African American town of Allensworth from its status as a town to its existence as a state historic park. Students will be exposed to various academic disciplines through lectures and a field trip to the park.
Units: 1
Course Typically Offered: Spring
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