AFAM-African & African American Studies

AFAM 2003. Introduction to African and African-American Studies.3 Credit Hours.

Introduces students to African and African-American Studies at the University of Oklahoma, and at other institutions of higher education in the United States. Students will study the major ideas, concepts, problems, issues, research and scholars in the field. Provides career focus and information for students who will major or minor in African and African-American Studies. (F, Sp) [IV-WDC].

AFAM 2113. Africa and the Diaspora.3 Credit Hours.

The course introduces students to the study of Africa and the dispersion of African people throughout the New World. Focus is placed upon the geographical and historical understanding of the continent of Africa and the identification of central causes of underdevelopment within the continent. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

AFAM 2970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: May be repeated; Maximum credit nine hours. Special topics course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research, and field projects. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3123. West African and African-American Experiences.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Provides a basis for understanding discourse concerning the future of West Africa and Africans in the American Diaspora. Examines significant issues concerning West African people, their past, their priorities, and prognoses. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3133. Introduction to African Aesthetics.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Explores the philosophy, culture, and aesthetic expressions of African Americans before, during, and after enslavement through a comparison of African and African American culture. Emphasis is placed upon developing a body of knowledge and analytic skills that will enable students to deepen their understanding of traditional and contemporary culture practiced by the African American community. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

AFAM 3143. Gospel Music Past and Present.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: junior standing. African and African-American history as it relates to gospel music. The class correlates the climate and cultural history with various genres of music that led to gospel music. Individual artists are studied not in isolation but as part of the larger cultural context. (F, Sp) [IV-AF].

AFAM 3333. The Black West.3 Credit Hours.

(Crosslisted with HIST 3333) Prerequisite: Junior standing, or any 2000-level African and African American Studies class, or permission of instructor. Survey of Black history and experience in the American West. Students will learn about life in the region through primary documents, scholarly texts, literature, film, and popular culture. Emphasis on how identity, regionalism, and nationalism converge in North America. Particular attention will be paid to Oklahoma and the larger Great Plains. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3343. Black Greek Letter Organizations.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: junior standing or departmental permission and successful completion of at least one AFAM course. Examines the history and culture of black greek-letter organizations (BGLOs), the contributions of the BGLOs (also referred to as historically black fraternities and sororities) to the black community through leadership and service, and issues relevant to the future of BGLOs in the 21st century. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3413. African American Education in the United States.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African-American content, or English 1213. Examines two major historical features of African American education: the ways in which the African American community has sought to educate itself and the ways in which white Americans have sought to educate African Americans. Emphasis is placed on the purpose of education, and alternative visions of educational possibility. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3423. African-American Men.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course the focuses on African and African-American content, or English 1213. Examines the status and role of the African-American male, from the perspective of contemporary research and literature which should frame the extant disclosure and discussions, policy-making, and future research. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3433. African American Women.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course the focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Examines the history and experience of African American women, focusing on race, gender, and socio-economic status and the corresponding effects of these forces in their lives. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3440. Mentored Research Experiences.3 Credit Hours.

0 to 3 hours. Prerequisites: ENGL 1113 or equivalent, and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit 12 hours. For the inquisitive student to apply the scholarly processes of the discipline to a research or creative project under the mentorship of a faculty member. Student and instructor should complete an Undergraduate Research & Creative Projects (URCP) Mentoring Agreement and file it with the URCP office. Not for honors credit. (F, Sp, Su)

AFAM 3453. The Black Athlete in America.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213 or sophomore standing. Provides students with a historical and contemporary overview of the Black athlete in American society. This course will underscore and examine the Black athlete from a social, political, and cultural perspective. Many of the misconceptions and deep-seated stereotypes of Black athletes both in intercollegiate athletics and professional sports will be uncovered. Additionally, perspectives will be gained on the changing status of Black athletes and how those changes have engendered the changing of sport, American society, and critical triumphs within Black culture. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3513. AFAM Research Methods.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: AFAM major or minor, junior standing. This course is designed to introduce students to research methods in African and African American studies. Qualitative and quantitative research methods are studied, discussed, and undertaken. Course design stresses the importance of using both methods to cross-validate findings. (Irreg.)

AFAM 3613. Visual Culture and African American Identity: 1895-1939.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213. Examines the visual commodities of black and white cultural producers to analyze issues of caste and class status, gender, and sexuality that historically and currently inform competing notions of blackness within the public sphere. (Irreg.) [IV-WDC].

AFAM 3960. Honors Reading.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to Honors Program. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Consists of topics designated by the instructor in keeping with the student's major program. Covers topics not usually presented in the regular courses.

AFAM 3970. Honors Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to Honors Program. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Subjects covered vary. Deals with concepts not usually treated in regular courses.

AFAM 3980. Honors Research.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: admission to Honors Program. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Provides an opportunity for the gifted Honors candidate to work at a special project in the student's field. (F, Sp, Su)

AFAM 3990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and junior standing. May be repeated once with change of content. Independent study may be arranged to study a subject not available through regular course offerings. (F, Sp, Su)

AFAM 4003. Senior Seminar in African and African-American Studies.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: completion of 12 hours of required AFAM or AFAM-related courses. Provides students the opportunity to review and integrate their study in African and African-American courses. Students will be involved in academic experiences that facilitate the translation from theory to practice. Experiences will vary depending on the instructor. (Sp) [V].

AFAM 4010. Special Topics In African And African-American Studies.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: junior standing and any course covering African and African-American issues. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit nine hours. Designed to permit the study of specific and changing issues and problems in AFAM Studies. Course will also be used for special workshops, conferences, seminars, etc. and individually planned and supervised activities focused on specific areas of concern. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4133. Contemporary Visual Art of Africa.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: junior standing and any 2000-level African and African-American Studies (AFAM) class. This course explores current visual arts developments in Africa. The course traces the historical evolution, influences and status of contemporary African art, with special reference to established visual artists who either work within or outside of Africa. (Sp)

AFAM 4213. African Dance.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Examines various essential dance movements from the African Diaspora. Theory and praxis meet in an effort to better understand the culture and language of dance amongst African people. (Irreg.) [IV-AF].

AFAM 4233. Blacks and the Movies: Hollywood and Black Independent Film.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Historical overview of the development of African American cinema. Examines how film has been used to culturally define the parameters of black cultural identity and how black cultural producers promoted alternate constructions of black identity. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4243. The Black Arts Movement.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213, or permission of instructor, or junior standing. Examines the literature, art, music, film, and cultural commentary of the Black Arts Movement. Focuses on the notion of 'blackness' and the black experience as developed in the cultural expressions of key figures of the Black Arts Movement, and the subsequent connection of that movement to further changes in literature, drama, film, music and art. Also explores the emergence of a critical discourse specific to a "new" black aesthetic. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4413. Issues in the African American Family.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. The purpose of the class is to explore the inter- and intra-structural components of the African American family using an applied social systems and ecological approach. Great emphasis will be placed on historical and concurrent social, religious, political and economic factors that influence the psyche of both the family and in a broader sense a culture rooted in the Afrocentric paradigm. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4423. African American Health Issues.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses upon African or African American content, or English 1213. Examines health problems, health status, and health behavior of African American men and women. A life course perspective is emphasized from birth to later life. It is assumed that being African American predisposes persons to health problems that increase the risk of disease or that influence health based on the diversity of cultural beliefs, values, and practices. Access to health services will be addressed. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4443. African American Mental Health.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: English 1213 or Expository Writing 1213. Introduces issues related to African American mental health in this country. Topics discussed and explored in this course will cover the past, present, and future states of mental health in the African American community. Students will investigate their personal history of mental health and uncover ways that those histories relate to and connect with the issues addressed throughout the course. (F)

AFAM 4623. Hip Hop Culture and Contemporary America.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Historical inquiry into behavioral and sociopolitical trends of hip hop culture. Attempts to codify and recognize dominant cultural attitudes, concepts and paradigms as global phenomenon shaping understanding of contemporary African American character, identity, and culture. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4633. African American Religious Traditions.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. An anthropological and historical inquiry into the nature of the religious experience of Africans enslaved and involuntarily brought to the United States. Emphasis is placed upon the identification and understanding of the central cultural and religious practices and products form black peoples' experiences of the holy. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4643. Black Feminism and Womanism.3 Credit Hours.

(Crosslisted with WGS 4643) Prerequisite: Junior standing and any 2000-level African and African-American Studies class. This course analyzes the way race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status have historically dominated, intersected, and/or competed with the lives and experiences of Black women. This course examines the way Black women have drawn upon these internal struggles to serve as voices of power and agents of social change. Readings in this course will highlight activism, literature, and social justice. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4713. Afrocentric Thinking and the Civil Rights Movement.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course that focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Examines afrocentric thinking and identifies key afrocentric patterns and strategies within the civil rights movement. Students will analyze African American leadership and how leaders brought afrocentric thinking to the forefront. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4733. Civil Rights Law: Employment and Education.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: any course the focuses on African or African American content, or English 1213. Analyzes civil rights law in employment and education. Focuses on laws that address discrimination, equal employment opportunity, equal educational opportunity and affirmative action, as well as the legal foundation for diversity initiatives. Examines regulations of enforcement agencies, and agency grievance procedures, including selected court cases. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4743. Black Women and Leadership.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213 and junior standing. Explores issues and strategies related to the roles and responsibilities of women in leadership positions and public service. The focus will be on African-American female leaders in diverse contexts. Do women have an identifiably different ways of leading? How does leadership manifest itself in the public arena? Why does women's public leadership matter? (Irreg.)

AFAM 4763. The History of Lynching and Racial Violence in America.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: English 1213 or Expository Writing 1213 with a grade of C or better. Explores the historical development of lynching, survey of lynching and its impact on American society; investigates the ways race, class, gender, and sexuality shaped particular lynching episodes, justifications for the practice and the historical legacy. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4813. Prison Industrial Complex.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213, or permission of instructor, or junior standing. The American prison industrial complex is a phenomenon with roots in American prison history, convict leasing, and the proliferation of prison industries. Designed to familiarize students with the phenomenon, how it came to exist, and the impact it has had and is having on American society in general, and on the African American community in particular. (Irreg.) [III-SS].

AFAM 4823. African American Politics and Public Policy.3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: ENGL 1213 or EXPO 1213, or permission of instructor, or junior standing. Focuses on the African American experience and politics, examining the history and experience from the civil rights era to the election of President Barack Obama. Materials will discuss grassroots and national political agendas, and explore the politics of topics such as environmental justice, healthcare, literature, music, sexuality and voting. (Irreg.) [III-SS].

AFAM 4960. Directed Readings.1-4 Credit Hours.

1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: good standing in University; permission of instructor and dean. May be repeated; maximum credit four hours. Designed for upper-division students who need opportunity to study a specific problem in greater depth than formal course content permits. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.

1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Special topics or seminar course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (Irreg.)

AFAM 4990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.

Prerequisite: permission of instructor. Permits the student to study in depth, under the guidance of the instructor, particular and special African and African-American topics of interest to the student and within the expertise of the instructor. Generally, students and the instructor meet to determine the nature of independent study, schedule progress reports and meetings, timelines for the submission of assignments, nature of the evaluation process and culminating effort or activity. (F, Sp, Su)