- to introduce students to representative works of contemporary
African literature, with special emphasis on African fiction and
its the relevance to contemporary society around the world,
including the United States;
- to provide students with an understanding and appreciation of
the literary and cultural traditions of the various works under
analysis; 
- to situate the works in the history of African cultures; to
hone students' critical skills through analysis of individual
literary works; 
- to improve students' communication skills through classroom
interaction and expository writing exercises. 

Students' performances are assessed through presentations, tests,
essays, and a final examination.

The course is structured through a series of readings in 
contemporary African literature, with special emphasis on the 
relevance of African fiction to contemporary society around the 
world. The topics covered are specific to the works under 
analysis; however, certain issues often recur, such as questions 
of ethnicity, gender, and class; the use of indigenous languages 
vs European languages; the status of the writer in postcolonial 
society; the question of audience, etc. The works treated vary 
with the individual instructor. The following is a sample 
syllabus of readings for a single semester:

Chinua Achebe.  Things Fall Apart
Camara Laye.  The Dark Child
Ferdinand Oyono.  Houseboy
Alex LaGuma.  In the Fog of the Seasons' End
Mariama Ba.  So Long a Letter
Okot p'Bitek.  Song of Lawino
Mongo Beti.  Mission to Kala

Students are required to abide by the University of Georgia academic honesty policy.