Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description



CODE ANT5043

 
TITLE Society and Culture in Africa

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL Not Applicable

 
ECTS CREDITS 4

 
DEPARTMENT Anthropology

 
DESCRIPTION This is a reading study-unit in which each student must write a number of appraisals of the weekly readings and give oral presentations based on those readings, in the first hour of the class, to be followed by a lecture in the second hour of the class. The aim is to encourage as much student-lecturer interaction, and continuous involvement by reading as possible.

Study-unit Aims:

This study-unit has several aims - to acquaint students with the unique historical and ecological background to African cultures, which explains much African poverty; to explore the profound impact of Europe on African societies; to relate the different types of African culture to the different types of African economic system; to understand especially the political cultures of Africa and the rich traditions of religion and cosmology. Contemporary ethnographic films, as well as readings.

At the end students will be able to relate African behaviours to African 'cultural templates', politics, and history; refer with familiarity to major scholarhip on African society; know how and where to acquire further literature and film on Africa.

Recommended Reading and References:

J. Iliffe. 1995. Africans: The History of a Continent. Cambridge: C U P
R. Grinker, C. Steiner (eds.). 1997. Perspectives on Africa. Oxford: Blackwell.
J-F. Bayart. 1993. The State in Africa: The Politics of the Belly. London: Longman.

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment 14%
Essay 86%

 
LECTURER/S Paul M. Clough

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.


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