Course Description
The impacts of various globalization issues on indigenous cultures in Africa. Students will research the issues and do in- class presentations followed by brief summaries of their research. Students will write a final paper relating one globalization issue to its impact on one or more indigenous cultures.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be expected to do four class presentations
of at least 30 minutes per topic and to write summaries of their
research of at least 6 pages per topic. They will also be
expected to write a 15-page paper relating a globalization issue
and its impact on a traditional culture.
Athena Title
Global Indigenous Cultures
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
a. This course will focus on the interactions of indigenous African cultures and the increasing impact of globalization. The course will prepare students to understand some of the many and varied indigenous cultures in Africa and the results (good and bad) of contact with the modern industrial culture which surrounds them. b. The class will be a combination of lectures, videos, and class discussions (lead by students) in a seminar format. We will read and discuss a variety of ethnographies of indigenous cultures from different parts of Africa. The students will also research the impact of globalization on some of these cultures, including the effects of the implementation of millennium development goals, micro finance, human rights initiatives, and multinational corporations. The indigenous cultures and modern influences will partly be determined by student interest. c. The specific cultures we discuss will depend on where student interest lies. The class will have several classical cultures to start with, but the students will provide additional ideas. Among the cultures we will be studying are the San, Hadza, Maasai, Turkana, Ashanti, Mandinko, Nuer, Dinka, Mbuti, Bunyoro, Swazi, Zulu, and others suggested by the students. d. The students will write two short summaries (each three pages, plus references = approximately 800 words) on the cultures they read about so that they can share them with the rest of the class during their oral presentations (along with PowerPoint slide presentations). Students will also write short summaries (each three pages, plus references) for two different globalization issues, which will also be presented to the class. e. There will be a final paper (ten pages, plus references = approximately 2800 words) relating one or more of the traditional cultures (not nations, an indigenous ethnic group) and the effects of globalization on them, based on cultures and issues of interest to each student. The final paper should have a balance of information on both the globalization issue and the indigenous culture(s). f. Graduate students will be required to do more in-depth research, to tie in their reports with their graduate studies, and to write a more comprehensive final paper.
Topical Outline
a. Introduction to Africa and the issues and people b. Indigenous cultures and indigenous knowledge systems c. Presentations on the U.N. Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals d. Presentations on first group of indigenous cultures e. Presentations on additional globalization issues f. Presentations on second group of traditional cultures g. Wrap-up on issues
Syllabus