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School of Arts & Science

Social Sciences Department

Sociology 211-001

Introduction to Africa

Winter, 2020

Instructor Dr. Francis Adu-Febiri

Office Paul 228

Office Hours Monday & Wednesdays 1:30-2:20, Tuesdays11:30-12:50 & 3:00-

4:30, Thursdays 11:30 -12:50 or by appointment

Class Schedule Mondays & Wednesdays 2:30 – 3:50

Website http://sites.camosun.ca/francisadufebiri

Email & Phone adufebir@camosun.ca & 250-370-3105

Table of Contents:

FOCUS PAGE Course Description, Learning Outcomes, and Required &

Recommended Textbooks 2

Design of Course Organization, Methods of Instruction,

Evaluation Framework, Grading System, and Course Schedule

and Readings

3 - 12

Assignments Instructions: Type 1 (Critical Review), Type 2

(Problem Statement and Question), Type 3 (Sustainability

Principles of African Development; Type 4 (Country Profile) and

Type 5 (Service-Learning Project Report), Team/Class

Discussions

12-17

Final Examination 17-18

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Calendar Description:

The course covers the ecosystem, social structure, and the human factor of pre-colonial, colonial and post-colonial Africa. Within this framework and using theories and methods of African studies, the issues of slavery, colonialism, globalization, demography, health, culture, community, conflict, development, trade, education, social inequality, and the African Diaspora are critically examined.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

At the completion of the course, students will be able to:

1. Identify and assess the realities and misconceptions of African life, culture, economy, politics, and aspiration in the global community.

2. Critically assess Western media representations of Africa and Africans on the continent and the Diaspora.

3. Explain Africa’s resilience and hope in the contexts of social, political, economic, and health crises.

4. Analyze the impact of colonial education on Africa’s history, demography, health, culture, languages, indigenous knowledges, technological development, politics, economics, social inequalities, and the human factor.

5. Outline the interconnections among the African ecosystem and African civilizations, the disruptions of African civilizations by the slave trade, colonialism, and globalization.

6. Apply critical thinking and sociological paradigms to theories and methods of African Studies.

7. Identify a relevant need of Africa and contribute to meeting this need.

REQUIRED TEXTS: Stevenson, Kris Coffin. 2013. Beneath The Baobab Tree: Where Poverty Dies and Hope Begins, Stevensville, Montana: Stoneydale Press. Moseley, William. Fourth Edition 2012 Taking Sides: Clashing Views on African Issues, Third Edition. Boston: McGraw Hill.

REQUIRED & RECOMMENDED READINGS: The readings for the course will comprise a) the topics in the text specified in the course schedule, and b) additional materials and illustrations introduced during interactive lectures.

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DESIGN OF COURSE ORGANIZATION

= THINKING and APPLICATION

COUNTRY PROFILE

ASSIGNMENT READINGS FROM

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

TRANSFORMATION: SOCIAL INTERACTION TO

GENERATE CREATIVE IDEAS

& INNOVATIVE DESIGNS

THAT ARE LIFE-CHANGING

INTERACTIVE

LECTURES

SERVICE-LEARNING

PROJECT

TEAM AND CLASS

DISCUSSIONS

CRITICAL REVIEWS

PROBLEM STATEMENTS

AND QUESTIONS

FINAL EXAMINATION:

DIVERSITY OF TYPES

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INTERACTIVE LECTURE PRESENTATIONS:

This is the professor’s powerpoint presentations on selected topics on contemporary Indigenous issues/challenges in Canada. (See the table below for specifics): DAYS FOCUS MONDAYS New lecture presentations will be

introduced highlighting motivation, exploration of concepts, application of knowledge, and creativity & innovation. Students are encouraged to ask questions, make comments, respond to questions, and/or engage in solution-focused discussions.

WEDNESDAYS 1) Q&A Sessions: 30 minutes will be devoted to providing students with opportunities to ask questions on concepts, theories and issues explored in the lecture presentations. 2) Collaboration and Communication: 50 minutes will be given to students to work together as small groups on their Service-Learning projects

Evaluation Components:

Evaluation of students will be based on critical reviews, research problem and

question, country profile, service learning project and written essay-type final

examination during the final examination week. The assignment evaluation

components of the course will be graded on the basis of criteria specified in the

instructions for the assignments. The criteria for evaluating your final exam answers

will be application of sociological concepts and theories/paradigms, critical thinking,

logical reasoning, and empirical evidence, rather than regurgitation of memorized

information.

EVALUATION COMPONENTS

Critical Reviews 10% Problem Statement & Question 7% Sustainable Development: Book Review 20% Country Profile 15% Service Learning Project 30% Final Exam 18%

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Grading System The following percentage conversion to letter grade will be used:

A+ = 90 - 100% B = 73 - 76% D = 50 - 59%

A = 85 - 89% B- = 70 - 72% F = 0.0 - 49%

A- = 80 - 84% C+ = 65 - 69% I = See Calendar for Details

B+ = 77 - 79% C = 60 - 64% AUD = Audit

W = Official withdrawal has taken place.

ASSIGNMENTS:

There are five types of assignments for this course: 1) Critical Review,

2) Problem Statement and Question Formulation, 3) Sustainability

Principles Book Review, 4) Country Profile, and 5) Service-Learning

Project

ASSIGNMENTS TYPE 1 & TYPE 2: SYNTHETIC THINKING AND CRITICAL

THINKING:

There are two team/class discussion sessions (A & B) in this course that involve critical reviews

(Assignment Type 1) and problem and question formulations (Assignment Type 2) as indicated

below in the Readings and Dates for Assignment Type 1 and Assignment Type 2. Every

group/class discussion session requires one Critical Review of the specific assigned Units Issues.

Specific instructions for these two types of assignment are found on pages 12 & 13

DEFINITIONS OF THE FIVE PRIMARY THINKING TYPES:

Synthetic thinking is the ability to process, connect and reproduce information.

Critical thinking is the ability to assess/evaluate or question. Creative thinking is the

ability to produce original ideas that are life-changing. Design thinking is the ability

to create plans, source resources, and coordinate tasks to implement creative ideas.

Sustainability thinking is the ability to proactively connect and integrate critical

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thinking, creative thinking and design thinking processes to provide services/products that transform social interaction/relationships in ways that improve the quality of human condition without compromising the quality of the natural environment and the lives of future generations

WEEK DAY DATE THEMES, READINGS &GUIDING QUESTIONS

JAN

WEEK

1

Mon/Wed

6/8 Lecture Theme: Hyperreal Africa

Additional Reading:

Introduction (pp.xx – xxiv) in Moseley; Chapter 2 of Mahajan 2009;

Chapter 1 of Khapoya 2013

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What are the dominant stories and counter-stories of the social

construction of Africa?

2 Mon/Wed

13/15

Lecture Theme: Hyperreal Africa

Additional Reading:

Introduction (pp.xx – xxiv) in Moseley; Chapter 2 of Mahajan 2009;

Chapter 1 of Khapoya 2013

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What are the dominant stories and counter-stories of the social

construction of Africa?

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3 Monday

Wednesday

20

22

ASSIGNMENT SESSION A:

TEAM DISCUSSION A:

Team Discussion A: Two Assignments Due

1)CRITICAL REVIEW #1 DUE

2)PROBLEM & QUESTION #1 DUE

See pp. 12 - 14 of the course outline for instructions for doing

these assignments. Also on the website click Problem

Statement Format to see samples of formats to guide you to create the

Problem Statement. The assignments are based on the Readings

Referenced below.

Readings: Fourth Edition of Moseley: Unit 1 Issue 1 or Issue 4

CLASS DISCUSSION A:

4

Mon/Wed

27/29

Lecture Theme: The danger of a Single Story: Diversities in Africa

Additional Reading

Fourth Edition of Moseley: Unit 1 Issue 3

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

How significant are the diversities in African countries/societies

in understanding the development challenges of Africa?

FEB

8

FEB

5

Mon/Wed 3/5

Lecture Theme: Methodologies and Theories

Additional Reading

Fourth Edition of Moseley: Unit 2 Issues 5-7

A QUESTION to guide your reading

Why are the development projects/programs coming from the

existing paradigms of Africa’s development unable to resolve’s the

continent’s development challenges?

7 Monday

Wednesday

10

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ASSIGNMENT SESSION B:

TEAM DISCUSSION B:

Team Discussion B: Two Assignments Due

1)CRITICAL REVIEW #2 DUE

2)PROBLEM & QUESTION #2 DUE

See pp. 12 - 14 of the course outline for instructions for doing

these assignments. Also on the website click Problem

Statement Format to see samples of formats to guide you to create the

Problem Statement. The assignments are based on the Readings

Referenced below.

Readings: Fourth Edition of Moseley: : Unit 4 Issue 13 or Issue 14

CLASS DISCUSSION B

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7

8

Mon/Wed

Mon/Wed

17/19

24/26

Reading Break

Lecture Theme: The Family, Community and Culture in Africa

Additional Reading:

Fourth Edition of Moseley: Unit 4 Issues 13-15.

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What are the development implications of the changes in the

Family, Community and Culture in Africa?

MAR

9

Mon/Wed

2/4

Lecture Theme: The Family, Community and Culture in Africa

Additional Reading:

Fourth Edition of Moseley: Unit 4 Issues 13-15.

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What are the development implications of the changes in the

Family, Community and Culture in Africa?

ASSIGNMENT TYPE 3

………………………………………………………………………………………………

Due: Monday March 2

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES ASSIGNMENT DUE

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

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10 Mon/Wed 9/11 Lecture Theme: Education and Job Training in Africa

Additional Reading:

Adjibolosoo (ed.). 1996 Pp. 101-102 of Mahajan 2009

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What would it take to transform Africa’s postcolonial education

and job training programs to contribute to sustainable

development in African societies?

11 Mon/Wed

16/18

Lecture Theme: Education and Job Training in Africa

Additional Reading:

Adjibolosoo (ed.). 1996 Pp. 101-102 of Mahajan 2009

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What would it take to transform Africa’s postcolonial education

and job training programs to contribute to sustainable

development in African societies?

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Mon/Wed 23/25 Lecture Theme: Africa and Globalization: The Ecosystem Factor and

Human Factor

Additional Reading:

Fourth Edition of Moseley: Unit 2 Issues 5-8 and Unit 5 Issue 18

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What would help Africa to optimally benefit from its connection to

the Global World?

ASSIGNMENT TYPE 4

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Due: Wednesday March 25

COUNTRY PROFILE ASSIGNMENT DUE

……………………………………………………………………………………………

MAR

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APRIL

Monday

Wed

30

1

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Tuesday April 2

WORK ON YOUR SERVICE-LEARNING REFLECTIVE REPORT

LEARNING QUESTION: What one significant thing have you

learned from this project in the contexts of the contributions it

has made to and the questions it has generated about the

issue it focused on?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lecture Theme: CONCLUDING REMARKS: AFRICA’S HOPE AND FUTURE

A QUESTION to guide your reading:

What conclusions have you come to about the hope and future of

Africa after taking this course?

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14a Monday 6 Final Exam (18%): Tuesday April 9 at 2:30 pm in class

14b

Wed

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ASSIGNMENT TYPE 5

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Due: Wednesday April 8 in my office (P 228) at 4:00 pm

SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT REFLECTIVE PAPER DUE

Instructions for Assignment Type 1

ASSIGNMNENT TYPE 1: CRITICAL REVIEWS (10%)

As an Individual read and review the specified Unit Issues in Taking Sides textbooks. Write a

ONE-PAGE critical review (typed, double-spaced, standard margins, size 12 font) and bring a

copy to the group discussion session. Without showing your one paged typed copy of your

critical review, you will not be allowed to attend that particular session.

Use the following criteria to do the critical review assignments:

1. SYNTHETIC THINKING: Provide an academic summary of the assigned Unit Issues: that is,

focus on identifying and stating:

* the common theme of the two articles in the Unit Issue

* the central question, and main thesis of each article in the Unit Issue

* the main difference in the thesis of the two articles in the Unit Issues

2. CRITICAL THINKING: Provide a concise assessment of any one of the articles in Unit Issue:

that is, focus on identifying and stating:

* one strength

* one weakness

3. CREATIVE THINKING: Provide a suggestion for improvement based on the weakness you

identified and stated

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ASSIGNMENT TYPE 2: PROBLEM STAMENT & QUESTION (7%)

Instructions for Assignment Type 2: Problem Statement and Question formulation:

After reviewing the specified Unit Issues:

1 As individual, create and print a Problem Statement and bring it to the group discussion

session. That is, show one important thing related to the main theme of one or both articles in the

Unit Issue but missing from the article(s). In other words, the statement must show a substantive

gap or flaw in one or both article(s) in the Unit Issue.

2 As an individual create and print one question that directly flows from your problem statement

using the following criteria::

* This question must have the same scope and focus as the Problem Statement

* The answer to this question cannot be found in the reading

* The question cannot be answered with just YES or NO

* You do not need to answer the question

Submit the Problem Statement and the Question to the instructor to grade

TEAM/CLASS DISCUSSIONS: The intention of this aspect of the course is to engage the class in constructive discussions of pertinent theoretical, empirical and practical issues in Indigenous communities. TEAM DISCUSSIONS The team discussions focus on a) critical reviews and b) Problem Statement & Questions:

a) CRITICAL REVIEWS (10%): In teams of six discuss your copies of the critical reviews and SELECT ONE of them that best reflects the critical review criteria provided above (create a new critical review if none in your group is good enough), list your names on it and submit to the professor for grading. The professor will grade individual critical reviews only in extenuating circumstances.

b) PROBLEM STATEMENTS AND QUESTIONS (7%) In the same team as

above, thoroughly discuss the problem statement and the question of each student in your team. As a group select one of the problem statements with its accompanying question or formulate NEW RELEVANT problem statement and accompanying QUESTION that the chapter(s) fail(s) to address adequately.) Submit the individual and the group problem statements and questions with a list of your team members on the team assignment to the professor for grading.

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Your group discussion grade will be based on the criteria specified in the instructions for doing assignments type 1 & type 2.

CLASS DISCUSSIONS A “question of the week” (a relevant, controversial and insightful question) may be selected from the questions generated by the teams. This question will form the basis of the class discussion. The group whose question is selected as the question of the week for the class discussions may be asked to provide an oral rationale for, and orally defend, the question.

The team whose question is selected as the question of the week will receive a 2% bonus marks.

Assignment Type 3 (20%): You may do this assignment individually or with a

team

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR AFRICA: BOOK REVIEW: SYNTHETIC

THINKING and CRITICALTHINKING

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Review Kris Coffin Stevenson’s book (Beneath the Baobab Tree: Where Poverty

Ends and Hope Begins) and write a book report on the key principles of sustainable

development for Africa identified in the book.

2. In the three-page or shorter write up,

a. state these key sustainable development principles and assess them

using your own experiences/observations and/or logical reasoning and/or

evidence.

b. Use these key sustainability principles to evaluate the applicability of any

one of the theories of development (see Module 3 powerpoint presentation)

to the reduction of extreme poverty in Africa.

Cite the page numbers from the book where these key sustainability

principles are discussed. If you make use of any other material, please

cite them.

The above criteria will be used to grade your sustainable development

principles assignment.

Due Date: Monday March 2, 2020

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Assignment Type 4 (15%): You may do this assignment individually or with a

team

COUNTRY PROFILE: CRITICAL THINKING. CREATIVE THINKING, and DESIGN

THINKING:

Assignment Instructions: This assignment may be done individually or in teams: 1. Review the development profile of any one African country of your choice and

come up with one substantive flaw/gap of/in in its post-colonial development, and based on this flaw state a critical development need of that African country. State this need in a RESEARCH PROBLEM STATEMENT format (that is, a statement that clearly SHOWS what is missing from the country’s development that needs to be addressed).

2. Formulate a CENTRAL QUESTION that directly flows from the problem statement.

3. Provide a maximum of two pages written report containing an answer to this central question; the report must

a) Have an introduction section showing the selected country’s very brief colonial history, geography, demography, material resources, the current socio-economic situation and human condition

b) Propose a specific creative project idea and an innovative design (provide a design diagram showing the processes, tasks, people, and resources) to help implement the idea to meet the critical need.

c) Apply any one of the key sociological concepts of the course to this critical need

d) Show the response(s) of any one of the sociological paradigms and its corresponding theory of development introduced in this course to the creative/innovative project you propose.

e) Have a conclusion: closure and projection

The above criteria will be used to grade your country profile

assignment.

Due Date: Wednesday March 25, 2020

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Assignment Type 5 (30%): This is a team assignment

SERVICE LEARNING PROJECT: REFLECTIVE PAPER/REPORT:

CREATIVE/INNOVATIVE THINKING, DESIGN THINKING and SUSTAINABILITY

THINKING:

Service-learning provides students opportunities to consolidate the four primary

thinking skills (Synthetic, Critical, Creative and Design Thinking), sociological concepts,

and theories/paradigms they learn by applying them to generate sustainable solutions

to pressing local or global problems.

Assignment Instructions:

PROJECT TOPIC Get three or four partners from this class and select one of the projects

posted on my website. Based on what you see as the sociological cause(s) and the pattern of this need, design and implement a practical project/program (not a hypothetical project) to meet the need. As a team, produce one reflective report based on your journey with the project, relating your reflections to any relevant sociological concept(s) and paradigm(s) introduced in this course. Please see the SERVICE-LEARNING GUIDE ON MY WEBSITE for specific processes of doing the service-learning assignment.

The reflective report must have the following sections:

Introduction: State the identified need and its importance, describe the critical incidents

of the project activities and show their impact on the project outcome in the context of the need

The Body of the Paper must have the following sections: Sociological Knowledge: Show how you used your knowledge of the

sociological concepts of sociological imagination and social construction of reality in determining the cause(s) and pattern(s) of the need as well as a design description and diagram showing the process, tasks, people, and resources used to develop and implement the project. Describe what you learned and what difference the service event made in lives of the beneficiaries

Individual Reflection: Describe and analyze your individual experiences with this service event: challenges, successes/breakthroughs, strongest emotional feelings, and lessons learnt from the service learning processes

Service Outcome: State and analyze the service outcome. Sociological Concepts and paradigms: Show the sociological concept(s)

and paradigm(s) you applied and how the project influenced your

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perception and understanding of the relevance of these sociological concept(s) and paradigm(s) to African issues.

Conclusion: Discuss what you will do differently, given your experience with the

service-learning project and its outcomes Show what more you would like to learn and do about the issue your

service project addressed

References based on the works you cite:

The length of this report must not be more than six double-spaced

typewritten pages in a standard font. Use APA or ASA or MLA style.

The report is due on Wednesday April 8, 2020. You lose marks on late

submission--5 marks a day.

The above criteria will be used to grade your reflective paper/report.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………

Due Date: Wednesday April 8, 2020

SERVICE-LEARNING PROJECT REFLECTIVE REPORT DUE

FINAL EXAMINATION (18%): APPLICATION OF SYNTHETIC THINKING, CRITICAL

THINKING, CREATIVE/INNOVATIVE THINKING, DESIGN THINKING, AND

COMPOSITIONAL ABILITY/SKILL:

The final exam date is on Monday April 6 at 2:30 pm in class

The professor will require you to choose, in the last week of classes, any one of the following three examination options: Whatever option you choose you

can decide to do it as an individual or with a team of your choice:

OPTION #1: Closed Book Exam: The instructor will post on his website FOUR study final exam questions based on the required readings, group/class discussions, student oral presentations, and interactive lectures, one week before the final examination day. On the examination day two of the questions will be randomly selected for you and you will be required to answer ANY ONE of them in 80 minutes.

OPTION #2: Open Book Exam: In the exam room on the examination day/time you will be given two essay-type final exam questions. You will be required to answer any one of them within 80 minutes. You are allowed to a) access the professor’s powerpoint lectures and b) bring any materials (your textbooks, notes, laptops, smart phones, etc) in the exam room.

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OPTION #3: Closed-Book Oral Exam: This option involves the following: a) the professor will schedule a time on the examination for you, b) you come the professor’s office (Paul 228) on the scheduled date and time, c) you answer orally one of the two randomly selected default final exam study questions posted on the website, d) the professor will not ask you any questions and you are not allowed to ask him any questions once you start answering the question, and e) you tell the professor when you finish answering the question. This is an essay-type examination that rewards coherent, logical argument that integrates concepts, theory and empirical information rather than points dropping and regurgitation of information. A clear presentation, critical thinking, creative thinking, and design thinking are also rewarded.

The questions for all the exam types cover material from the interactive presentations, sustainable Development principles assignment, country profile assignment, critical reviews, problem statements and their accompanying questions, class discussions, and readings. The final examination will be graded on the basis of its sociological quality, its content relevance, and clarity of thought and communication. A grade of Zero will be granted for absence during examination, unless the student produces a medical certificate confirming serious illness and writes the substitute exam within one week of recovery.