Africana Studies is an interdisciplinary program that offers extensive study of the history, cultures, politics and socioeconomic structures of Africa and the African Diaspora. Students develop a comparative perspective in order to understand the rich network of linkages, movements and exchanges among African peoples; the complex geographical and cultural landscapes that shape their lives, and the interactions among Europeans, Asians, Native Americans and peoples of African descent. The program teaches students to use diverse historical, political, ethnographic, artistic and literary forms of analysis from the humanities, social and behavioral sciences and fine arts.

Students who successfully complete the majors or minors are able to:

• Analyze and critique the ways traditional disciplines shaped Africana studies and ways Africana studies has shaped traditional disciplines
• Identify, integrate and use in research and discussions appropriate disciplinary, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary methodologies, theories, approaches and data
• Analyze how political, social, economic and cultural constructions of race, gender, class, and /or other arenas of difference shaped Pan-African global and U. S. domestic experiences and identities
• Demonstrate research abilities and, when appropriate, performance and artistic abilities, in the first three learning outcomes
• Effectively write and present a research paper and, when appropriate, also present performance and visual art, based on that research.

Study Abroad Opportunities and Locations

Africana Studies plays a major role in the Drew’s global education programs, particularly ShortTREC. Through this program, Africana Studies initiates, designs and brings students to Africa and African diaspora for three-week study abroad programs. Places visited include Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Eritrea and South Africa; as well as Martinique, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Brazil. In addition, there have been semester-long programs in Eritrea and Ghana.