Hocbigg - African Studies
Contents
Summary
The African Studies curriculum is a comprehensive education in African Studies, designed for self-directed study using online materials.
The program emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches, covering the African continent's histories, cultures, societies, politics, and global connections, including diaspora elements where relevant to continental dynamics.
Note: High-quality courses or books that do not fit into the core curriculum are listed separately in extras/courses and extras/readings.
Organization
This repository is organized into three main components:
- Core Curriculum (this page): the foundational knowledge of the field;
- Advanced Topics: focused study in specific areas;
Process: Learners may work through the curriculum independently or collaboratively, and either sequentially or selectively.
- For simplicity, courses in the Core Curriculum are ordered according to their prerequisites.
- The Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation and is intended to be completed in full.
- Advanced Topics are optional; learners are encouraged to select one area of focus and complete all courses within that topic.
Communities
- Subreddits: r/AfricanaStudies
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
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Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
Curriculum
Foundations of Africa
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| What Is African Studies? | It helps you understand how scholars from different fields examine Africa's past, people, and cultures using many methods and sources. | UNESCO – General History of Africa, Vol. 1 (Methodology & Prehistory) | UNESCO GHA Portal |
| African Geography & Ecology | You learn how Africa's diverse landscapes, climates, and ecosystems shape where and how people live, farm, and adapt to their surroundings. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 1 (Environment chapters) | National Geographic Africa (Educational overview & maps) |
| Human Origins & Archaeology | It reveals that modern humans first evolved in Africa and shows how ancient tools and fossils help us trace our shared human beginnings. | — | Smithsonian Human Origins (Africa sections) |
| African Peoples & Migration | You discover how ancient population movements spread skills, languages, and cultures across the continent over thousands of years. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 2 | British Museum – “Ancient Africa” (Virtual galleries & exhibits) |
| African Language Families | It shows how languages connect different groups, reveal past migrations, and carry unique ways of thinking and storytelling. | — | — |
| African Historiography | You learn how historians use oral stories, archaeology, and other sources to build accurate pictures of Africa's past beyond written records. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 1 | — |
Historical Africa
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early States & Trade Networks | It explains how ancient African kingdoms grew wealthy and powerful by controlling long-distance trade in goods like gold and salt. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 3–4 (Free full PDFs from UNESCO) | Met Museum Heilbrunn African timelines (Interactive timelines & art) |
| Slavery (African + Global) | You understand the long history of slavery within Africa and its later connection to the global slave trade that affected millions. | — | Slave Voyages + UNESCO Slave Route |
| European Imperialism | It shows how European powers took control of African lands and resources, changing societies and economies for generations. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 6 | Yale “African Colonial History” lectures (Open Yale Courses) |
| Resistance & Decolonization | You see how African people fought against colonial rule and built independent nations through organized movements and leaders. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 7 | LSE Africa decolonization lectures (Video & resources) |
| Cold War Africa | It reveals how global superpower rivalries shaped African politics, wars, and development choices during the 20th century. | — | Wilson Center Africa Cold War archive (Declassified documents) |
| Contemporary African States | You gain knowledge of how modern African countries formed, govern themselves, and face current challenges after independence. | UNESCO GHA Vol. 8 | Africa Center, Johns Hopkins (Research & contemporary studies) |
Political & Economic Systems
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| African Political Systems | It teaches how traditional and modern governments organize power, make decisions, and maintain order in African societies. | — | MIT OCW – Democracy & Development in Africa |
| Development & Dependency | You learn why some African economies struggle and how historical patterns create ongoing reliance on outside countries or resources. | — | Coursera – African Development |
| Political Economy of Africa | It helps you see how politics and money interact to shape wealth, poverty, and power distribution across the continent. | — | — |
| Globalization & Trade | You understand how global markets and trade rules affect African economies, jobs, and connections to the world today. | — | UNCTAD Africa reports (Annual free reports) |
Society, Culture, and Thought
| Subject | Why study? | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Religion & Philosophy | It explores how African beliefs and ideas about life, community, and the world guide daily behavior and values. | Mbiti | — |
| Gender & Feminism | You learn about women's roles, rights, and movements for equality in African societies past and present. | — | African Feminist Forum resources (Official site & Charter) |
| Kinship & Social Life | It shows how family ties, marriage, and community structures organize relationships and support in African cultures. | — | Open University – African anthropology (Free course units) |
| Urban Africa | You discover how fast-growing cities change living conditions, work, and social life for millions of people. | — | UN-Habitat Africa (Urban reports & data) |