Successful completion of this course will provide the following learning outcomes:

A basic understanding of the physical, cultural, economic, and political geography 
of sub-Saharan Africa

An appreciation of the diversity of physical and social processes and phenomena
within sub-Saharan Africa

An awareness of the historical events that have shaped sub-Saharan Africa’s physical
and human landscapes and the consequences these events have for understanding the
region today

An ability to examine critically contemporary issues affecting the continent (such 
as political unrest, economic development, environmental degradation)

A greater cognizance of the relationship between sub-Saharan Africa and traditional 
Western colonial powers


This course meets the following General Education Abilities by accomplishing the
specific learning objectives listed below:

Communicate effectively through writing.  This is met by a series of writing 
assignments associated with supplemental reading and data analysis.
 
Communicate effectively through speech.  This is met by oral presentations, 
discussion leading, and classroom participation.

Critical Thinking is central to the learning objectives of this class, and is
developed through homework assignments, lecture, classroom discussion, and inquiry-
based learning efforts.

Moral Reasoning (Ethics) is an important element of this course, as it explores 
cultures and peoples of Africa, economic development, and the ethics of colonialism 
and globalization.  Moral reasoning is developed through lectures, writing 
assignments, classroom discussion, and inquiry-based learning activities.

Sub-Saharan Africa's physical geography, including geology, climate, flora and fauna

Cultural geography of Sub-Saharan Africa, including religious influences in the pre-
and post-colonial era

Demographic history of the region, including basic data on fertility and mortality,
migration, sex-ratios, age-ratios, etc.

The economy of pre-colonial Sub-Saharan Africa

Political organization in the pre-colonial period

The impact of colonialism on Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa's links into the broader world (e.g., impacts of the slave trade,
pre-colonial trading patterns with Asia and Europe, impacts of colonial cash 
cropping)

Sub-Saharan Africa and globalization (including the effects of structural adjustment
policies on the region, Cold War and post-Cold war politics in the region, patterns
of contemporary FDI, etc.)

Conflict and strife in post-colonial Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa's contribution to world culture (contemporary music, literature,
and art)