Africana Studies

Africana Studies Major (B.A.)

The Africana studies major brings together the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. You’ll explore issues of race and study the lives of people from Africa and the African diaspora. The goal: to inspire awareness and critical inquiry around the ideas of identity, difference, and representation.

As an Africana studies major at the University of Lynchburg, you’ll:

Work in the local community as part of your capstone project — thanks to the Center for Community Development and Social Justice (CCDSJ).
Complete an internship, or study abroad in Uganda or South Africa!
Look at the world from all angles: Africana studies combines courses in history and political science with literature, music, and psychology.

Complementary Minors

What can I do with an Africana studies degree?

Auditor
Engineer
Human resources specialist
Import specialist
Information analyst

Intelligence operations specialist
IT specialist
Law enforcement specialist
Physicist
Tourism professional

Sample Courses

HIST 347W — Slavery and Race in the Early Americas

An examination of the roles slavery and emerging European understandings about racial difference played in the social, cultural, and political development of settler societies in the Americas. By studying the economic structures, cultural interactions, and moral quandaries created by the African slave trade, the course will lead to a fuller appreciation of economics, ideas, race, and identities in the early Americas.

ENGL 337 — American Multi-Ethnic Literature

An examination of multiethnic literature by American authors in order to study and appreciate the collective construction of American identity by different cultural traditions.

MUSC 215 — Jazz and the Origins of Rock Music

This course will examine the history of jazz and rock music: from their musical elements to the social/cultural contexts that contributed to the artistic developments of jazz and rock music. Students will be required to attend two live performances presented by the music department. This course is also one of the DELL program’s Artistic and Creative Thinking Area of Study courses. As a result, additional focus is placed on how people use their creativity and imagination as a form of human expression, and how the arts awaken and stimulate emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

PSYC 243 — Psychology of Diversity

This course covers psychological research relating to diversity. All major sub-disciplines of psychology (cognitive, social, developmental, clinical, neuroscience, etc.) have research-based insights to offer. Our goal will be to synthesize the material through a close study of primary sources in all of these sub-disciplines. We will focus closely on applications of basic psychological science (paying special attention, for example, to how psychological research informs the justice system) and on emerging issues (e.g., the controversy over recent advances in lie detection via brain scanning).

Faculty Contacts

Ghislaine Lewis, PhD
Associate Professor of Communication Studies
Co-chair of the Africana Studies Department
Director for Pierce Street Gateway

434.544.8775
lewis_g@lynchburg.edu

Lindsay Michie, PhD
Associate Professor of History
Co-chair of the Africana Studies Department

434.544.8622
michie.l@lynchburg.edu