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Academics > ALA Curriculum > LEA Curriculum > African Studies
African Studies at ALAThe multidisciplinary African studies curriculum will help students
develop an understanding of Africa’s past and present, a connection to the broader African
community, and a sense of ownership for the continent’s future. This will be done through a unique
approach in which students will explore pressing challenges on the continent from a variety of
perspectives.
Defining Activities
The African Studies Core
In this multidisciplinary course, students will explore pressing challenges – such as health
care provision, economic growth, or conflict resolution – from a wide variety of perspectives: the
economic perspective; the political perspective; the environmental & resource sustainability
perspective; and the perspectives of directly affected parties. Throughout the unit, students will
be challenged to understand the viewpoints of different stakeholders, providing for rich discussion
and deep understanding.
In a term-long exploration of health care in Africa, for example, students would use economic
analysis to evaluate the impact of disease and effectiveness of proposed solutions; study how
global, national, and local political forces shape health policies; understand environmental and
resource factors that contribute to disease and evaluate sustainable approaches to disease
prevention; and “step into the shoes” of different segments of the African population to understand
how they are impacted by disease and health policy.
Africa Concerns
In this biweekly, student-led forum, students spend a half-day learning about and debating
important issues in Africa, such as the case for sharia law in predominantly Muslim nations.
The African Perspectives Essay
At the end of the first year, each student will pursue an independent, in-depth exploration
of an African issue or topic of interest. This will allow students to synthesize the research,
reflection, and action skills that they have developed throughout the curriculum.
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