Anthropology 306
Africa: Peoples & Cultures

Prof. Glenn Davis Stone
stone@wustl.edu
Office Hrs: T/W 2:30-4 or appt
McMillan 332

TA: Meghan Ference
onofrio8 at gmail.com
Office Hrs T 10-11:30 Th: 1:30-3pm or appt
McMillan 301

TA: Robert Spengler
rnspengl at artsci.wustl.edu
Office Hrs T 9:30-10, W 10-11:30 or appt
McMillan B29a

Subject This is a survey course in the anthropology of Africa. There are no prerequisites. We examine many aspects of African culture and cultures, including such topics as:

• Western narratives of Africa and African peoples
• indigenous African empires and states
• how European colonialism affected and was affected by African cultures
• ecological and political aspects of African foragers (hunter-gatherers)
• interface between human social systems and environment (especially in agricultural societies) 
• environmental change and the human role in it
• international aspects of African conflicts , including DRC amd Darfur
• philosophy, religion and "witchcraft"
• the construction of cultural/ethnic identity (what, if anything, are tribes?)
• current cultural/medical issues, including female circumcision, AIDS, and population growth
• African music

Class Meetings Class meets T/Th 11:30-1:00 in McMillan 149. We will normally take a 5-10 minute break during each class and listen to music from the area being discussed. We devote one class to an African foods feast that is, regrettably, prepared by Prof. Stone.

Assignments There is no text. We will read a selection of articles and book chapters (including part of a recent book by Nobel-winning author Wole Soyinka). Readings will be available through the course website (see the syllabus page). See the comments on readings (web). 

Tests & Grading Grades are based on the following:

• 6% quizzes (2 quizzes, 3% each)
• 26% midterm I
• 30% midterm II
• 38% final

All quizzes and exams are cumulative and assignments for the day of quizzes are included.  All quizzes and exams will have map questions.  Quiz 1 is mainly a map quiz (on countries, capitals, major cities, and bodies of water) but it may have a question on readings (more on the quiz); quizzes 2-3 will also have map questions, and will emphasize readings.  Both exams will have a mixture of multiple choice, short answer and essay questions, and will draw on both lectures and readings.  Sample questions will be posted online, and we are happy to evaluate practice answers prior to exams. Exams and quizzes will usually have bonus questions concerning African current events (check out the Africa newsfeeds!) and trivia; bonus points are not added to exam grades, but they may be used for students who are on grade cusps. No extra credit assignments will be accepted.

Absences from exams will be excused for debilitating health problems, family deaths, or varsity athletic obligations. I can save you the trouble of asking for special treatment to accommodate flight schedules or other personal plans: no. Any requests to be excused from exams must be in email (you should ideally discuss it with me in person as well, but it must be in email so I will have a "paper trail"). Class participation is encouraged, but it rarely affects grading. Course grades will be based on a modified curve, typically with 25-35% A's and 35-50% B's. A grade of D+ is required for PASS credit.

The web page The course web page is at http://artsci.wustl.edu/~anthro/courses/306/. It will be used for maps, readings, images, newsfeeds, and other purposes to be discussed in class. I will usually post powerpoints or lecture notes, but these are meant to supplement, not replace, your class notes. I will try to have powerpoints posted before class so you can print them out beforehand, but sometimes I am working on them until just before class.  Please check the site regularly; the "Messages & Updates" link will always tell when the last message was added.  Sometimes there may be assigned readings on the messages page.