You are reading the 2024/25 Academic Calendar. The 2023/24 version remains in effect until August 31, 2024 and is available here.

African Studies, Faculty of Arts

AFST: African Studies


  1. AFST 250 (3/6) d Introduction to African Studies

    Cultural, historical, and geographical issues of African Studies.

  2. AFST 256 (3) History of Africa

    An introduction to selected themes and historical approaches in African history. These may include African geography and identities, sources and methodology, pre-modern state formation, gender relations, world religions, labour systems, colonialism, and post-colonialism. Credit will be granted for only one of AFST 256 or HIST 256.

    Equivalency: HIST 256.

  3. AFST 308 (3) The Languages of Africa

    Linguistic survey of the languages of Africa, including typological and historical connections between languages, individual and comparative surveys of sound systems, word structures, sentence structures, semantics, and sociolinguistic properties of a representative selection of languages.

    Equivalency: LING 308.

  4. AFST 309 (3) Arts of Africa and the African Diasporas

    Comparative exploration of art practices and their relationship to colonial and postcolonial histories.

    Equivalency: ARTH 309.

  5. AFST 312 (3) Southern Africa

    Pre-colonial, colonial, and contemporary, emphasizing South Africa. Credit will be granted for only one of AFST 312 or HIST 312.

    Equivalency: HIST 312.

  6. AFST 313 (3) Africa from Imperialism to Independence

    The history of Africa in the 19th and 20th Centuries: the growth of Islam and Christianity, the impact of European colonialism, the development of nationalism, and the variety of different political and social outcomes after independence. Credit will be granted for only one of AFST 313 or HIST 313.

    Equivalency: HIST 313.

  7. AFST 351 (3/6) d Perspectives in African Studies: Literary and Theoretical Approaches

    Major issues and theoretical approaches.

  8. AFST 352 (3/6) d Perspectives in African Studies: A Social Science Approach

    Major issues and theoretical approaches.

  9. AFST 370 (3-6) d Literatures and Cultures of Africa and/or the Middle East

    Literary and cultural works from Africa; some sections include Africa and the Middle East. Multiple perspectives on local, national, and global issues including colonialism, migration, transnationalism, education, art and politics. May include fiction, poetry, drama, digital media, and other forms. Consult department website for current year's offerings.

    Prerequisite: For ENGL courses at the 200- or 300- level, prior completion of at least one 100- level ENGL course is recommended.

    Equivalency: ENGL 370.

  10. AFST 380 (3/6) d Study of Sociolinguistics of a Selected African Language

    Selected African language with emphasis on major syntactic structures, vocabulary, conversation patterns, reading short texts, and the cultural and historical contexts of language use.

  11. AFST 410 (3) Seminar in African Art

    Key debates in the art of Africa and the African diaspora. This course is not eligible for Credit/D/Fail grading.

    Equivalency: ARTH 410.

  12. AFST 450 (3/6) d African Diasporic Culture in African Canadian Communities

    African diasporic culture in Canadian society, fostering dialogue with members of African Canadian communities on cultural values, traditions, memory, adaptation and change.


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