| Unit name | Africa |
|---|---|
| Unit code | ARCH20051 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Carrier |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Department of Anthropology and Archaeology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Africa has been and continues to be a critical site of disciplinary development for anthropology. Classic research there has left a strong mark on the ethnographic method and anthropological theory, and the region continues to inspire cutting-edge research on themes of much wider relevance, including migration, language, identity, development, urbanisation and globalisation. This unit proceeds by studying themes of contemporary salience while also highlighting the legacy of earlier anthropology. What anthropology can draw from this often problematic legacy will be of major concern to the unit, as will the possible futures for the discipline in a region so important for its past and present form.
Unit aims
This unit will:
(1) Provide a critical overview of the anthropology of Africa and its historical contours and relationship with colonialism
(2) Offer insight into contemporary African societies and the challenges they face, while also considering such societies in a longer time-frame with archaeological and historical perspectives
(3) Introduce key themes in the anthropology of Africa
(4) Introduce key ethnographic work related to the region and demonstrate its importance for the discipline more broadly
(5) Ask how the anthropology of the region (and the discipline in general) might be ‘decolonised’
At the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to:
(1) Critically assess the importance of Africa for the discipline of anthropology
(2) Demonstrate extensive knowledge of key themes in the anthropology of the region
(3) Link these regionally-specific themes to wider anthropological theories and approaches
(4) Evaluate academic writing focused on the region and beyond
(5) Demonstrate a critical understanding of how Africa has been represented, and the need to challenge common portrayals of the continent and its people
Weekly lectures, group activities, essay workshops and discussion, and additional film screenings.
Blog post, 1000 words (0%, required for credit – formative) [ILOs 1, 4 and 5].
Essay, 2500 words (100%) [ILOs 1, 2, 3 and 4]
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. ARCH20051).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
