Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Eff Term	Fall 2026
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	12/02/2025
Top Code	220300 - Ethnic Studies
Units	3 Total Units (Lecture Units 3)
Hours	54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	108
Total Student Learning Hours	162
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S),  Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)	Area 4 Social and Behavioral Sciences (GD) Area 6 Ethnic Studies (GETH)
Diversity Requirement (GCD)	Yes
California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC)	Cal-GETC 4 Social & Behavioral Sciences (4) Cal-GETC 6 Ethnic Studies (7)
Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)	IGETC 4 Social&Behavioral Sci (4)

Course Description

Formerly: Introduction to Black and African American Studies. This course is an introduction to African American Studies, exploring its social and academic origins, goals, and development as an interdisciplinary field. Students will examine the historical, cultural, psychological, and political experiences of people of African descent in the United States, Africa, and the broader diaspora. Emphasis is placed on theoretical concepts and social processes such as the social construction of Blackness, racialization, social and racial inequality, civil rights, racial justice, and movements for liberation. The course further engages students with key cultural, artistic, literary, spiritual, and intellectual traditions—including major schools of Black psychology and significant movements in Black creative expression—to deepen their understanding of Black identity, agency, and resistance. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Analyze and articulate core concepts such as race and racism, racialization, ethnicity, equity, ethno-centrism, eurocentrism, white supremacy, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, sovereignty, imperialism, settler colonialism, antiracism, and the historical origins and interdisciplinary foundations of African American Studies.
2. Critically analyze how intersections of race and racism with class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, sovereignty, language, and age shape the lived experiences, intellectual traditions, spiritual practices, and cultural expressions of African Americans and the African diaspora.
3. Critically review how struggle, resistance, Black psychology, and racial and social justice movements—across classical African civilizations, enslavement, Reconstruction, the Black Freedom Movement, and the 20th/21st centuries—inform contemporary communal, national, international, and transnational issues such as immigration, reparations, settler-colonialism, and language policies.
4. Describe and actively engage with anti-racist and anti-colonial practices, cultural and artistic movements, and the contemporary academic, political, and intellectual challenges facing African American communities and the discipline as they work toward a just and equitable society.

Course Objectives

• Compare and contrast the parallel anti-colonial struggles of the African diaspora in the United States with global issues of racism, discrimination, and ethno-violence.
• Examine how intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, immigration, and ability shape the lived experiences, identities, and social movements of African Americans and people of African descent across the diaspora.
• Analyze historical and contemporary systems of racism, inequality, and colonialism that have shaped the experiences of African Americans and people of African descent across the diaspora.
• Apply theory and knowledge produced by Black artists, authors, and scholars to analyze the historical and contemporary experiences of people of African descent in the United States, Africa, and the broader diaspora, with particular emphasis on agency, resistance, and cultural affirmation.
• Explain the origins and relevance of African American Studies/Black Studies/Africana Studies/Africology as a discipline and analyze how its interdisciplinarity and engaged scholarship shaped its development.
• Describe and compare classical African civilizations such as Nile Valley, Western Sudanic, and Moorish civilizations and explain their evolution.
• Articulate the experiences of the African diaspora in Ancient America, through enslavement, Civil War and Reconstruction, the Black Freedom Movement, and struggles of late 20th/21st century.
• Compare ancient African religious/spiritual traditions with subsequent/contemporary African American spirituality and other faith traditions (Yoruba, Ifa, Ma’at, Santería, Christianity, Islam).
• Identify and explain movements in African American artistic, musical, and literary expression from African origins to today.
• Distinguish among the various schools of Black psychology.
• Evaluate contemporary academic, political, and intellectual challenges and possibilities facing the discipline.

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Lecture Content

1. Foundations of African American/Black Studies
   1. Origins, relevance, scope, and development of African American/Black Studies, Africana Studies, and Africology
   2. Historical emergence of the discipline: social movements, community activism, and academic institutionalization
   3. Core disciplinary concepts: African origins, diaspora, cultural grounding, cultural centeredness, agency, decolonization, liberation, and educational relevance
   4. Interdisciplinary nature of the field—connections to history, religion, sociology, politics, psychology, creative production, and economics
   5. Schools of thought in Black Studies: Afrocentrism, Kawaida philosophy, dual consciousness, Black womanism, and Afro-futurism
   6. Schools of Black psychology: Afrocentric psychology, African Self-Consciousness (ASC) theory, Optimal Psychology (Myers), Black Personality Theory (Akbar), and other major paradigms.
   7. Black Studies and engaged scholarship: community relations, social change, policy development, resistance movements, discipline challenges, and sustained development
   8. Theoretical and analytical frameworks: social construction of Blackness, racialization, systems of power, privilege, and oppression, intersectionality, ethno-centrism, Eurocentrism, and imperialism
   9. Examination of race and racism, ethnicity, equity, white supremacy, sovereignty, settler colonialism, antiracism, and the principles of self-determination and liberation within Black and African American Studies
2. Classical Africa and the Formation of the African Diaspora
   1. Classical African civilizations: Nile Valley, Western Sudanic, and Moorish societies
   2. African worldviews, philosophies, and cultural knowledge systems
   3. Comparative study of African and diasporic spiritual traditions: Yoruba, Ifa, Ma’at, Santería, Christianity, and Islam
   4. European colonization and the trans-Atlantic slave trade as political, social, and economic processes rooted in white supremacy, imperialism, and colonial expansion
   5. Formation of the African diaspora in the Americas and early expressions of resistance, community formation, and self-determination
3. Enslavement, Resistance, and Reconstruction
   1. Enslavement of Africans and African Americans as systems of power, privilege, oppression, and white supremacy
   2. Social and economic structures of slavery and the development of race and racism
   3. The Abolitionist movement, the Civil War, Emancipation, and Reconstruction
   4. Constitutional transformations: the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments
   5. Post-Reconstruction backlash: the rise of Jim Crow, segregation, and state violence
   6. The politics of emancipation, civil rights, racial justice, and citizenship
4. Intersections of Identity and Social Structure
   1. Intersectionality as a framework for understanding overlapping systems of oppression and privilege
   2. Intersections of race and racism with class, gender, sexuality, religion, spirituality, national origin, immigration status, ability, tribal citizenship, sovereignty, language, and age in African American and diasporic communities
   3. Gender socialization and the emergence of Black feminist, womanist, and queer thought
   4. Comparative analysis of African American and Black diasporic experiences across geographic, cultural, and political contexts
   5. Social and racial inequality and their impact on access to power, representation, and resources
5. Movements for Liberation and Intellectual Traditions
   1. Historical and theoretical Black political and intellectual movements:
      1. Black nationalism and cultural nationalism
      2. Integrationism and self-determination
      3. Armed self-defense and anti-colonial struggles
      4. Black feminism/womanism and queer liberation
         1. Major thinkers and traditions: Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Angela Davis, Patricia Hill Collins, and others
         2. Black Studies’ engagement with social movements: Civil Rights, Pan-Africanism, Black Power, and Black Lives Matter
         3. Movements for liberation, anti-colonialism, abolition, and racial and social justice as responses to colonialism, inequality, and systemic oppression
         4. Examination of solidarity, resistance, and transnational alliances across African, African American, and other oppressed communities
6. Cultural Production and Knowledge Creation
   1. Artistic, musical, and literary expressions from African origins to the present
   2. The Harlem Renaissance, the Black Arts Movement, hip-hop, and contemporary cultural production
   3. Media representation, film, and performance as vehicles for activism, identity formation, and social critique
   4. Cultural grounding, cultural centeredness, creative expression, and the politics of representation
   5. The role of art, media, and literature in challenging white supremacy and promoting liberation
   6. Exploration of multiculturalism, language policies, and the use of art and culture to advocate for equity and social transformation
7. Contemporary Issues and Future Directions
   1. Structural racism, anti-Blackness, and global systems of inequality maintained through white supremacy and institutional power
   2. Public policy, education, and economic justice
   3. Civil rights and racial justice movements in the 20th and 21st centuries
   4. Campus-community partnerships and engaged scholarship in Black Studies
   5. Ongoing disciplinary challenges and possibilities for growth within African American/Black Studies
   6. Comparative analysis of communal, national, international, and transnational politics, including immigration, reparations, and settler-colonialism
   7. Study and participation in anti-racist and anti-colonial practices, movements, and community-based initiatives aimed at building a just and equitable society
   8. Future trajectories: Afro-futurism, digital diasporas, decolonization, sovereignty, and liberation

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
• DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

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Reading Assignments

Textbooks: students may explore foundational theories and concepts in African American Studies, providing a framework for analyzing and interpreting additional course material. Qualitative and quantitative studies: by examining statistical data and in-depth interviews or observations, students may evaluate the complexities of Black and African American communities, enabling them to apply AFS produced knowledge and theory to a variety of lived experiences. Case studies: students may analyze personal, community based, and broader AFS societal concerns and scenarios to understand how AFAM produced knowledge and theories apply to various aspects of the AFS community. Primary texts and literature: students may explore foundational experiences, concepts, and reflections through the evaluation of texts produced by AFS community members. AFS and Ethnic Studies Journals: students may explore foundational concepts and experiences through recent academic contributions. Online content and social media posts: students may engage with contemporary online content and critically evaluate popular discourses on AFS communities.

Writing Assignments

Research paper: students may conduct independent research on a current event, historical event, location of importance, social movement, or person of importance within AFS studies and communities, synthesizing theoretical concepts with empirical evidence. Reflection papers: students may conduct personal reflections on a current event, historical event, location of importance, social movement, or person of importance within AFS studies as it relates to themselves, their family, or their community. Oral History Reflection: students may conduct an interview with an AFS community member, analyze their narrative in the context of AFS studies themes and movements, reflecting on a deeper, communal understanding of social issues and community experiences. Exam essays and short responses: students may demonstrate their understanding and application of AFS produced knowledge and theory to analyze and interpret various scenarios and case studies. Discussion boards: students may engage in online dialogue with peers, discussing course topics, sharing insights, and applying AFS produced knowledge and theory to analyze historical and contemporary issues.

Out-of-class Assignments

Preparatory readings: students may engage with assigned readings to prepare for in-class discussions and assessments. Community Engagement: students may engage and interact with local activists and leaders in the community to conceptualize the future of the AFS community. Historical/Cultural Site Visits: students may visit historical and cultural sites relevant to AFS communities to deepen their understanding of the community’s vast experiences and heritage. Museum Visits: students may visit museums featuring exhibitions on AFS communities to enrich their understanding of the community’s history and cultural contributions. Community Events and Performances: students may attend community events and performances that highlight AFS experiences, allowing them to engage with the community’s cultural expressions and traditions. Reflection assignments: through reflective written, oral, or visual communication, students may connect their lived experiences or community observations to course content and theories. Research paper: students may produce a research paper on a selected topic, applying theoretical frameworks to analyze empirical data and prepare for in-class presentations.

Study Non-Contact Hours Recommended

108

Methods of Student Evaluation

• Midterm Exam
• Final Exam
• Short Quizzes
• Written Assignments
• Essay Examinations
• Objective Examinations
• Report
• Projects (Individual/Group)
• Problem Solving Exercises
• Oral Presentations
• Skills Demonstration

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Critical thinking may be assessed through a variety of assignments and engagement with course materials that allow students to analyze and interpret complex societal dynamics from an AFS perspective. In-class discussion, informed by preparatory readings, allow students to apply theoretical frameworks to real-world scenarios, personal reflections, and community engagement, fostering critical analysis and debate. Out-of-class assignments, such as reflection papers and research projects, and community engagement prompt students to connect AFS produced knowledge and theories to their lived experiences and conduct independent inquiries into contemporary and historical issues. Exam essays, online discussion boards, and reflection assignments serve as platforms for students to articulate and defend their perspectives and analysis, engage in dialogue with peers, and critically evaluate different viewpoints.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Students may engage in essays, oral history reflections, and personal reflections that serve as a platform for them to critically analyze and synthesize course materials, applying AFS produced knowledge and theories to real-world scenarios and contemporary issues within AFS communities and experiences. Visual and oral assessments provide opportunities for students to creatively express their understanding and problem-solving skills through presentations, multimedia projects, or debates, showcasing their ability to communicate complex ideas effectively. Multiple choice assessments evaluate students' comprehension of foundational concepts and their ability to apply sociological theories to different contexts, requiring them to demonstrate their analytical and problem-solving skills.

Resources Subscreen

• Textbook: Karenga, Maulana. Introduction to Black Studies (classic). University of Sankore Press (2010).
• Textbook: Brown, Scott. Discourse on Africana Studies: James Turner and Paradigms of Knowledge (classic). Diasporic Africa Press (2016).
• Textbook: Kendi, Ibram X. The Black Campus Movement: Black Students and the Racial Reconstitution of Higher Education (Classic). Palgrave Macmillan (2012).
• Textbook: Karla D. Kirk. Introduction to African American Studies: An African Centered Historiography of African American History and Culture (Classic). Kendall Hunt (2018).
• Textbook: Norment Jr., Nathaniel. African American Studies: The Discipline and Its Dimensions (Classic). Peter Lang (2019).
• Textbook: Stewart, J. and Anderson, T.. Introduction to African American Studies: Transdisciplinary Approaches and Implications (classic). Inprint Editions (2015).
• Textbook: Woodson, Carter G.. The Mis-Education of the Negro (classic). Tribeca Books ( 2011).
• Textbook: Davis, A. Y.. Women Race & Class (Classic). Random House (1983).
• Textbook: Collins, P. H.. Black Feminist Thought, 30th Anniversary Edition: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment (classic). Routledge (2022).
• Textbook: Alexander, M.. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness (classic). The New Press (2020).
• Textbook: Alkalimat, A. The History of Black Studies. Pluto Press (2021).
• Textbook: Jackson, E.R. An Introduction to Black Studies. University Press of Kentucky (2023).
• Textbook: Du Bois, W.E.B.. The Souls of Black Folk (Penguin Twentieth Century Classics) (Classic). Penguin Random House (2002).
• Textbook: Fanon, Frantz. Black Skin, White Masks (classic). Grove Press (2008).
• Textbook: Fanon Frantz. The Wretched of the Earth . Grove Press (2021).
• Other: . . ().

Eligible Discipline(s)

• Ethnic studies: Master’s in African American Studies, Black Studies, Africana Studies, Latino Studies, La Raza Studies, Chicana/o Studies, Asian American Studies, Native American Studies, or American Indian Studies OR Master’s in Ethnic Studies OR the equivalent. Master's degree required.