Topics in African Literature is offered in Spring Term to students in their fourth and final term with the program. Fundamentally a writing seminar, the course explores the literary voice of the African continent and asks students to engage in academic analysis of monumental works of African writers across time and space. By examining selected texts by authors from different regions of the continent such as Chinua Achebe, Mariama Ba, Ngugi wa Thiongo’o, and Marie Therese Toyi, students are expected to analyze socio-cultural, political, gender and economic themes that are explored by the writers. Through the different themes, students examine the function of literature as a contributing tool for development.
Students are expected to present on varied topics and write a term paper over the course of the term and work with the instructor to receive detailed, individualized feedback on how to improve their writing skills.