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Indiana University African Studies Program

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Interdisciplinary university program and research center about Africa and African Diaspora

Indiana University African Studies Program
Formation1961
Type
PurposeTo promote a greater understanding of Africa and its global diaspora
HeadquartersHamilton Lugar School of International and Global Studies
Region
Membership
70+ (affiliate faculty)
Directors
    • Beth Buggenhagen PhD
    • Tavy Aherne PhD (Associate)
Staff Director
Marilyn Estep
AffiliationsIndiana University
Staff
22
Students
40+ (graduate)
Websitehttps://africanstudies.indiana.edu

Overview

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Indiana University African Studies (ASP) was founded in 1961 as part of a movement by the U.S. government to create Area studies centers at American universities during the Cold War. The program functions as a BA, MA, dual BA/MA, and PhD minor degree granting program, instruction center for seven African languages, interdisciplinary research center, and hub for visiting scholars. It has been recognized as a Title VI National Resource Center by the United States Department of Education for over 50 years. It is affiliated with several archives including the personal papers of Senagelese author/filmmaker Ousmane Sembène and Kenyan author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o.[1] The program is also home to the non-profit National African Language Resource Center (NALRC) which is a leading supplier of resouces to advance the teaching of African languages in the United States.[2] In 2021, the ASP celebrated its 60th anniversary.[3] In 2022, the program was one of eleven area studies centers in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies selected to share a $17.7 million dollar Title VI grant from the United States Department of Education.[4]

The ASP community has a strong shared commitment to social justice, and social-inclusion with a focus on Africa-centered perspectives– which are major topics in the discipline.[3][5] The program has over 70 affiliate faculty and regular visiting scholars with expertise in a large range of topics including African art, African literature, African film, African religion, agrarian studies, black feminism, conservation, colonialism, diaspora studies, ethnobotany, language policy, liberation movements, political science, public health, and racial justice.[6][7]

Degrees Offered

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Currently the program offers an undergraduate major, MA, PhD Minor, and new 5 year dual BA/MA degree. Applications for the MA are usually due in January each year. (citation needed). Graduates have worked in academic, There is interest in eventually offering a PhD degree in African Studies.

Languages

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Languages Offered

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IU African Studies (ASP) believes that languages are an integral part of an intercipllinary education to prepare students for the practical use of African languages. Language study at IU African Studies includes the traditional study of language and culture and which are supported by several clubs and events including a large African Language Festival each semester. As of 2022, Indiana University African Studies offers seven languages including Akan/Twi, Arabic, Bamana, Kinyarwanda, Swahili, Yoruba, and Zulu. Students are able to pursue study of other African languages such as Wolof and Malagasy through Summer FLAS Awards. Language policy and the role of colonial languages in African society is a topic of discussion at the ASP. In October 2022, Senegalese author Boubacar Boris Diop spoke about the language politics of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o at an event co-hosted by IU African Studies and the Lilly Library.[8]

Languages offered by Indiana University African Studies as of 2022
African Language Region spoken L1 and L2 Speakers Instructors
Swahili East Africa 200 million 6
Akan/Twi Ghana 1
Arabic
Bamana/Bamakon Mali 1
Kinyarwanda Rwanda 1
Yoruba Nigeria 4
Zulu language Southern Africa 2

Language Outreach Programs

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The program has several language outreach initiatives that increase awareness and knowledge of African languages in local schools. In 2021, several students at local schools received national awards in recognition for their excellence in studying Swahili.[9] Since 2014 the ASP has collaborated with with Indiana University Summer Language Workshop to offer intensive courses in Swahili which allow students to complete the equivalent of one year of instruction during June and July.[10]

Funding Opportunities

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Foreign Language Area Studies Fellowships (FLAS)

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In 2022, IU African Studies was one of eight area studies centers at the Hamilton Lugar School of International Studies selected to share a total of $8.6 million in Title VI FLAS awards.[4]

Academic Year Fellowship

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Currently 2022 FLAS fellowship awards come with a tuition remission of up to $18,000 for graduate students and $10,000 for undergraduates. Graduate students receive a living-expenses stipend of $20,000 per academic year and undergraduates receive $5,000 per academic year.[11]

Summer Fellowship

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Studnets have recnelty u. These offers students oppurnities to pursue archival MA thesis research or pre-dissrration research in the country of study after compeltliion of the six week summer program. An aditioanll $1,000 travel award is available for students to help defer the costs of apply to with a separate application.

Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA)

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Indiana University African Studies regularly receives {{Fullbright Language Teaching Assistants (FLTA)

Research Groups

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IU African Studies currently has five active working research groups which research a range of topics including religion, diaspora studies, __________. These programs provide a means for faculty and graduate students to collaborate on community focused research projects and activism.[12]

Indiana University African Studies Research Groups
Working Group Topic
Muslim Africa Religion
Displaced Africans/Migration and Immigration Diaspora studies
IU Congo Working Group
Patrick O'Meara Southern Africa Working Group
Global Visual Cultures Working Group

Africa Today

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Africa Today is a quarterly, peer-reviewed African studies journal founded in 1954 which publishes traditional academic articles on a range of topics related to contemporary Africa. It is a part of Indiana University Press and shares offices with the Indiana University African Studies Program (ASP). Several of Africa Today's editors are also staff and affiliate faculty of the ASP which creates a strong bond between the two organizations[13]. The journal includes book reviews and article submissions from ASP graduate students and provides opportunities for qualified graduate students to join the editorial team[14]. Currently, Hillary Warner-Evans is the managing director of Africa Today.[15] Africa Today is availalbe on Project MUSE and JSTOR. The journal has published special issues on the topics of African art, and ____Tavy's african history example_____.[16]

National Language Resource Center

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Affiliate Archival Collections

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IU African Studies receives regular financial support from the United States Department of Education for the maintenance of specialized archival collections of Ephemera, cooresponsce of major leaders in African literate, film, and politics including. topics. IU African Studies maintains several extensive archival collections in collaboration with the Lilly Library and Herman B Wells Library. Its collections are located in various university librariesand are are open for researchers to use upon appointment with the African Studies Libraian, Mireille Djenno.

Ousmane Sembène Archive

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Ousmane Sembène has been described by the Los Angeles Times as the "father of African Film" [17] The archive contains Sembne's personal documents written in French, Russian, and Wolof. ais widley uses by visiting Postcolonialism scholars whom wish to learn more about Sembene's contributions to Postcolonial literature and African film. In 2022, the Sembène archives were used by Saiba Bayo, a Senagelese scholar of Colonialism from Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, Spain[7]

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o Papers

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H.K. Banda Archives

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Boubacar Boris Diop Papers

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In October 2022, Boubacar Diop delivers a speech in the inaugural

Athol Fugard Papers

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Nadine Gordimer Papers

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Liberian Collections

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H.K. Banda Archive

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Somali Collections

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Nuer Field Notes

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Institutional Partners

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IU African Studies has partnerships with 12 institutions in Africa and Europe and regularly develops partnerships to support the interests of graduate students and faculty.[18] In the past, ______people have done this with these partnerships.

Indiana University African Studies Institutional Partners
Partner Country
Cairo University Egypt
University of Ghana Ghana
University of Cape Coast Ghana
Kwame Nkrumah University Ghana
University of Pretoria South Africa
University of Cape Town South Africa
University of the Western Cape South Africa
University of Dar es Salaam Tanzania
Cheikh Anta Diop University Senegal
University of Rwanda Rwanda
Moi University Kenya
University of Bayreuth African Studies Germany

Reception

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PROTA Precursor

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List of Species

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  1. ^ "About". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  2. ^ "National African Language Resource Center". National African Language Resource Center. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
  3. ^ a b "Director's Message". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  4. ^ a b "IU awarded $17.7M to support international education, national security, competitiveness". news.iu.edu. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  5. ^ "Commitment to Diversity, Equity + Inclusion". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
  6. ^ "Affiliate Faculty". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  7. ^ a b "Visiting Scholars, artists, + professionals". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  8. ^ "2022 Ngũgĩ Lecture: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o: The Passion for Authenticity". Indiana University Calendar. Retrieved 2022-10-27.
  9. ^ "MCCSC and IU Students win National Language Awards for Swahili". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  10. ^ "Welcome to the Swahili Workshop". Indiana University Summer Language Workshop. Retrieved 26 Oct 2022.
  11. ^ "Foreign Language and Area Studies Program". www2.ed.gov. 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  12. ^ "Working Groups". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  13. ^ "Africa Today". Indiana University Press. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  14. ^ "Africa Today Editor + Staff Biographies". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  15. ^ "Staff". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  16. ^ "About Africa Today Journal". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  17. ^ McLellan, Dennis (2007-06-14). "Ousmane Sembene, 84; Sengalese hailed as 'the father of African film'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-10-26.
  18. ^ "International Partners & Exchanges". Indiana University African Studies Program. Retrieved 2022-10-26.