Africa’s
People and Environments
(GEO 320/GST 404—this course can count as your
GST seminar
OR as a 300-level advanced studies
course outside of your major, but NOT both)
Spring 2008
Instructor: Dr. Heidi G. Frontani
Teaching Assistant/Student Guest Lecturer:
Justine Davis
Justine is a senior with research and study abroad
experience in Africa. Justine studied in Ghana for a semester and Senegal for a
semester. She interned for 20 hours per week at Ghana’s Center for Democratic
Development in Accra and has published an article (with Dr. Frontani) on
Zimbabwe’s war of liberation in the South
African Geographical Journal. To contact Justine, email: jdavis28@elon.edu
Contact Information for Dr. Frontani
Office: 217-C Powell, Phone: 278-6462
Office Hours: 8:00-10:15am T/TH (less College Coffee time
most Tuesdays)
Email: glaesel@elon.edu (I kept my maiden name for my email)
Course Description and Goals:
This course focuses on the cultural geography of contemporary Africa (1950s to
the present day) including people’s ethnic identity, cultural practices,
diseases, land and resource use, and wildlife management. Our goal will
be to better understand the cultural patterns and environmental conditions on
the African continent and how and why they differ by location. By the end of
the semester, students should be able to locate the major cities, rivers, and
physical features of the African continent, know some of the continent’s
important leaders, and demonstrate through thoughtful written arguments and
oral presentations knowledge of the major social, economic, and environmental
issues facing Africa’s people.
This course involves an experiential learning component. On April
22nd (Earth Day) our class will meet in McKinnon Hall in Moseley
Center. A small number of students will give research paper presentations, all
will display an environmentally-themed poster he or she made for the occasion,
some may participate in a Read for Africa, offer African foods, etc. We have access to some funds to potentially
host invited speakers to give a workshop in sustainability and more. The room
has been reserved for us from 9am to 9pm though we are unlikely to use the full
12 hours or even many hours beyond our regular class time, but we have the
space if we want it.
Required Texts
Recommended Text:
Note:
We will read around half of Disposable
Cities and a few students will read more if they are presenting on one of
its chapters. The book costs $100 so you may wish to share the purchase cost
with one or two others in the class if you like to highlight as you read. I will
put one copy of the book on reserve at Belk
Course requirements:
Extra credit:
Dr. Frontani is faculty mentor for the Periclean Scholars, class of 2010. If
you would like extra credit you may get involved in planning for and carrying
out Earth Day activities beyond the required poster and (for some) the required
presentation and/or assist the Periclean Scholars class of 2010 with their
socio-economic development projects in Ghana. The 2010 Pericleans projects
include: fundraising for a rural health center in Kpoeta, Ghana, collecting
children’s books to stock the shelves of a library in Abor,
Ghana and fundraising for a Heifer International initiative to bring honey bees
and grasscutters (small edible animals) to the people of Sokode, Ghana (a
village visited each year by the winter term study abroad program).
Assignments: are posted on BlackBoard
Late Assignments: All
assignments are due at the beginning of the class period. Assignments turned
in after the beginning of class on the day they are due will automatically lose
ten points. Late work will only be accepted if 1. You have medical
documentation for why you could not attend class AND 2. Prior to the due date
you contacted, discussed, AND came to an agreement with your instructor on when
you would turn in your work.
Grading Scale: 90 - 100% = A 80 - 89% =
B 70 - 79% = C 60 - 69% =
D <60% = F
|
A |
Excellent work, generally the upper
10% of class (depending on overall standard). (A- = 90-94, A = >94) |
|
B |
Very good work, above average
achievement. (B- = 80-83, B = 84-87, B+ = 88-89) |
|
C |
Adequate to good work, below
average to average achievement. (C- = 70-73, C = 74-77, C+ = 78-79) |
|
D |
Pass, but below average
achievement. (D- = 60-63, D = 64-67, D+= 68-69) |
|
F |
Fail, inadequate work compared to
expectations. (<60) |
Honor Code: Each student is responsible
for knowing and abiding by the Elon Honor Code
Note: This syllabus including its course
overview is subject to change.
COURSE OVERVIEW
(in broad terms, the themes we will be discussing)
UNIT I: Africa’s Climate, Physical and Human Resources:
Understanding Africa’s present-day human and environmental achievements through
understanding its past
UNIT II: Anti-Colonial Struggles, Nation Building and the
Cold War: the Belgians and Rubber Extraction in the Congo, ‘Civil War’ in
Angola and Mozambique, Uganda’s ‘Invisible Children,’ etc.
UNIT III: Sustainability in Urban Africa: Accra,
Cairo, Dar-es-Salaam, Lusaka, Nairobi, and Zanzibar
UNIT IV: Oil and
Africa: Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, and Angola
UNIT V: Kenya’s People and Environments: The Swahili and Mijikenda coast, the Gikuyu of
central Kenya and Wangari Maathai’s
Green Belt Movement, the Maasai and Kenya’s National
Parks and Reserves
UNIT VI: Where to for Africa?