Instructor: Halifu Osumare, Department of African-American and African Studies, College of Letters and Science
Description: The Performance and Culture in the African Diaspora Freshman Seminar is intended for students interested in the cultural contributions of people living in the African Diaspora (the rich cultural evolution of peoples of African origin living in the Caribbean, South America, North America, and Europe). Weekly lectures introduce students to the music, dance, and theater of the African Diaspora, highlight historical, political, and social relationships, and provide relevant background information (faculty lectures will be coordinated by Linda Alexander and John Ortiz-Hutson).
Format: This two-unit course will be letter-graded based on lecture and performance attendance, a 5-page written assignment, and class participation (an integral component of this learning experience). There are no texts for the class, however there will be occasional hand-outs and on-line reading assignments prior to each performance. No more than one (1) missed lecture (including the required pre-performance lectures) and no more than one (1) missed Mondavi Center performance will be allowed. Choosing one of the 5 performances you will see this quarter please comment on its historical, political, or social relevance as it pertains to the African Diaspora. Use at least one library reference for your 4-5-page paper and support your written assignment with performance observations, class notes, on-line readings, and /or class discussions. Please use the MLA documentation style and include a bibliography page. Grading: Students will be graded based on their class and performance participation – their frequency and ability to discuss the lectures and performances (25%), the quality of their oral presentations (25%), and the quality of one 5-page response paper (50%).
About the Instructor: Ph.D. American Studies from University of Hawaii at Manoa., MA in Dance Ethnology, San Francisco State University. Dr. Osumare's research focus encompasses the fields of Cultural Studies and African American Studies, with an emphasis on how African American performance has historically utilized resistance, complicity, and play in relation to structures of power.