The African American and Diaspora Studies major offers students a comprehensive understanding of the African America Diasporic experience in a global world through an interdisciplinary approach. This approach allows students to explore history, culture, and experiences of people of African descent dispersed throughout the world.
The major explores diverse perspectives focused on Africa and the Americas and Literature and Culture. Africa and the Americas examine topics like colonialism, slavery, emancipation, and civil rights across continents, while Literature and Culture analyze African American creative expression through art, music, literature, and more.
Students have opportunities to complete research projects, engage with local communities, and participate in study abroad programs to expand their knowledge. The program aims to foster critical thinking skills for interpreting primary sources and evaluating complex problems related to the diaspora experience.
The faculty is committed to helping students develop the academic abilities and cultural values needed to be leaders well-versed in African American diaspora history and culture. They ensure courses utilize cutting-edge scholarship to analyze both historical and contemporary issues. Students are strongly encouraged to pursue internships, collaborative projects, and other experiential learning to complement traditional coursework.
Programs Offered
The AADS major is a 42- credit hour interdisciplinary program. The program is organized to provide the opportunity and flexibility of our students to design a program of study that targets their intellectual interests.
- Requirements 42 hours of credit as follows:
- 6 credit hours from Area of Study I, II, III, or IV*
- 6 credit hours from: Introduction to Research and Writing and Seminar in Research and Writing.
- 21 credit hours of AADS electives 2000 level or higher.
- Senior Capstone in AADS.
- 9 credit hours World Language(s)
*Area of Study I: New Social Justice Movements: advocacy of activism from Black Lives Matter, to Environmental Racism movements that aim to dismantle systemic oppression.
Area od Study II: Black Health Disparities: providing students the opportunity to understand the Black experience as it intersects with health outcomes.
Area of Study III: Decolonial Studies: an understanding of the interconnected circuits of power on Black experiences globally. Like colonialism/neocolonialism, capitalism, and slavery.
Area of Study IV: Transatlantic Blackness: understanding of the legacies of oppression that have resulted in internalized forms of anti-Blackness but also in transnational forms of resistance.
A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all courses taken in the major, minor and concentration.
The Minor in African American and Diaspora Studies consists of eighteen (18) hours. For the minor, students are required to complete twelve (12) hours of specified courses and six (6) hours of courses in a specified concentration. The concentration may be taken from English, history, philosophy, psychology, music, or other disciplinary course offerings centered on African American and Diaspora Studies.
- Minor Required courses
AADS 2000 - Introduction to African American History and Culture
AADS 2010 - Introduction to African American Social Sciences
AADS 3020 - Special Topics in African American and Diaspora Studies
AADS 3370 – African American, Africa, and Pan Africanism
A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all courses taken in the major, minor and concentration.
AADS concentrations require 12 hours in AADS, AADS 2000 Introduction to African American History and Culture is a required course for the concentration. The remaining 9 hours are of the student’s choosing within the AADS course listings.
A grade of “C” or better must be earned in all courses taken in the major, minor and concentration.
*Students should be aware of the university policy for concentrations.
Watch AADS in action during their Teach-a-Thon on #BlackLivesMatter.
Our department engaged in a 12-hour activist and teaching endeavor to chronicle the #BlackLivesMatter movement and to consider how we make Black Lives Matter in New Orleans. The event was headlined by Dr. Ashonta Wyatt and Black Panther & Green Party Activist Malik Rahim. Dr. Rasheed Atwater discussed the important of love & ma'at in community organizing; Dr. Tarik Richardson addressed contemporary Black leadership in community organizing; and Dr. Camille Dantzler presented on Black activism across the African Diaspora. Dr. Cassandra Shepard chronicled the victims advocated for by the #BlackLivesMatter movement, elaborating on the specifics of each case and their outcomes. The event was joined by local and national activists who used to event as the foundation for future activism.
What’s Happening in African American and Diaspora Studies
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For more information, please email Dr. Sinegal-DeCuir, Chair African American and Diaspora Studies
ssinegal@xula.edu