African Studies University of Toronto

Overview

About this Degree

Cutting across disciplines, the program offers a path to exploring how the organization of African societies has and continues to be shaped by the complex interaction of global and regionally-specific forces, encounters, and processes. The curriculum has three areas of emphasis:  dynamics and challenges of socio-economic and political transformations in Africa’s “modern era”; social and political thought of Africa and its Diasporas in Europe, North America and elsewhere; and African popular cultures.    

The interdisciplinary courses, through innovative and critical pedagogies, deal with cutting edge subjects such as political economy, African inventions, development, aid, humanitarianism, NGOs, conflict and peacemaking, activism and political struggles, politics, African cultures, migration and displacement, gender and development, environment, health, black freedom, urbanization, African systems of thought, the slave trade, colonialism, the post-colonial state, Africa and its diaspora, Pan-Africanism, and globalization. Innovative pedagogies nurturing students’ intellectual curiosity, cultivating engaged, creative and critical thinking and teaching cutting edge courses that recognize Africa as a living place rather than merely as a site for intellectual speculation and study inform our teaching. 

The African Studies program at University of Toronto also offers practical courses in African languages. These areas of emphasis are supported by a rich menu of  program courses that form the spin of the curriculum.  Additional cross-listed courses with cognate disciplines and other interdisciplinary programs, drawn from disciplines in humanities, social sciences and sciences, complement the program offerings.