ADW 111 Syl
ADW 111 Syl
ADW 111 Syl
Required Texts
Mekerta, Soraya, et al., eds. 2015. African Diaspora and the World: Readings for ADW
111. Spelman College.
Niane, D.T., trans. 2006. Sundiata: An Epic of Old Mali. Essex, England: Pearson.
Prince, Mary and Sara Salih. 2013. The History of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave.
London: Penguin Books.
Recommended Text
Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. 2010. A Writer’s Reference. Bedford: St. Martin’s.
Course Description
(No prerequisite)
ADW 111 seeks to examine the major themes associated with the African Diaspora
within a global context and from perspectives that are both interdisciplinary and
gender-informed. Topics examined this semester include: various forms of knowledge
construction; issues of identity; the intersection of race, gender, and social class; and
the varying responses to the phenomena of forced and voluntary migration,
displacement, conditions of servitude, and community formation.
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Course Purpose and Goals
The overarching goal of this course is two-fold. The first is to make Africa and its
diasporas the center of analytical inquiry and the second is to present an
understanding of historical and modern diasporas in the context of world developments
through time. Through the use of diverse and interdisciplinary methods of scholarly
investigation, students will be able to develop a perception of themselves as citizens in
an increasingly interdependent world, sharpen their awareness of diverse cultural and
historical experiences in that world, and promote the association between learning and
social change. Terms of engagement include: Construction of Knowledge, Diaspora,
Race, Gender, Class, Identity, Critical Consciousness, Resistance, Resilience, and
Intersectionality.
Course Objectives
Through oral, written, visual, and digital media, students will be able to do the following
upon completion of this course:
1. Critically evaluate and use feminist and other revolutionary theories and
concepts pertinent to the field of Diaspora Studies to explain, analyze and
interpret historical, philosophical, artistic, scientific, and environmental
developments.
2. Critically evaluate and explain how internal and external power relations have
shaped and impacted Africa and its diasporas.
5. Identify and explain how communities of the African Diaspora have shaped the
modern world.
Process Objectives
Students will meet the above course objectives by doing the following:
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1. Develop well-informed questions about course content and respond to such
questions in written, oral, and digital form.
5. Take a map quiz identifying select significant countries and/or routes of dispersal
on a map of the African Diaspora.
Students will meet two days a week in classes that include a dynamic mix of lectures
and discussions. ADW operates on the belief that it is important to understand the
relationship between thinking, reading, and writing. To that end, learning experiences
and activities require close reading, critical thinking, and communication of
comprehension through oral and written work.
Students are expected to come to lectures having already read the assigned texts and
viewed any assigned films for that week.
Students understand that the first few minutes of class may be devoted to quizzes or
other exercises designed to determine whether or not the readings and any assigned
film viewings have been completed.
Students are expected to identify and develop their own strategies for moving through
the writing process to produce thoughtful academic written work that communicates in
Standard English. There are several graded and non-graded writing tasks. These are
structured to help students understand the relationship between reading, thinking, and
writing and to provide opportunities for students to manipulate and express ideas with
precision, clarity, and economy. Students are advised to look at the “Standards and
Grading for Course Assignments” section of this syllabus for guidelines on good writing.
Students in ADW are required to view assigned films and documentaries outside their
regularly-scheduled ADW core lectures and lab discussion sections. Quizzes,
assignments, and exams will cover films just as they cover readings. ADW students are
also required to complete a Museum Audio Narrative Project and a Critical Essay in
which they identify, and present findings on topics related to Africa and/or the African
Diaspora. All the work related to the Project and the Essay will be conducted outside of
regularly-scheduled class time and will require a significant number of hours beyond
what is normally required for homework and class preparation. Students enrolled in
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ADW are also required to participate in and present an Artistic / Performance Group
Project. Although the Project is presented and evaluated in class (lab), students are
required to collaborate and meet with their group a number of times outside of class to
develop the Project. The above mentioned activities constitute the additional hours
required to justify the fourth credit hour.
Grading*
The assignments and activities listed below constitute the primary ways by which
learning in this course will be evaluated. Listed next to each assignment is the
percentage of the final grade that the assignment represents. Please note that due
dates for any assignments that do not appear on the Course Schedule are determined
by individual lecture and lab professors.
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at the beginning or in advance of lectures. There will be no opportunity to
make them up for students who come in late or are absent. Such lecture
activities will be designed by individual professors and the number may vary
by professor, but in the end five of the activities will be formally graded and
counted in the final grade. Students will not know ahead of time which
activities will count in the final grade and which will not. Also, students will not
have the opportunity to substitute one activity for another. Once individual
professors determine which of the five out of the seven to ten activities will
count in the final grade, the same will apply to all students.
Note: All lecture professors will administer a Map Quiz as one of the
seven to ten graded activities. All students are responsible for knowing
all the information listed on page 13 of this syllabus. However, the
actual format and content of the quiz will vary depending on the
professor.
The ADW 111 Map Quiz will cover slave routes involved in the making of
the global African Diaspora, including major points of departure and
arrival.
The ADW 112 Map Quiz will cover European and African countries.
Students should be able to locate all the contemporary African
countries on a map. Students will also be asked to identify select
European colonial powers and their corresponding African colonies, as
well as know some dates of decolonization.
4. About Attendance and Classroom Rules and Etiquette: See the various
“Policy,” “Statement,” and “About ADW Classroom Rules, Expectations, and
Course Etiquette” sections below for details.
5. About Final Examination: Details about the final exam will be announced
later in the semester. Do note that it will be closed book, closed notes, and
closed electronic devices.
6. About Writers’ Circle Opportunities: For the curious students who like to go the
extra mile and who want to pursue knowledge related to theories, concepts,
and/or themes examined in the ADW course, there will be opportunities
throughout the semester to attend various talks and events. These
opportunities will be announced by ADW professors; however, students may
also suggest talks and events to their professors for approval. Students may
choose to attend any such (pre-approved) talks and events and may opt to
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write a response paper that they will give to their ADW core-lecture professor.
Although there is no maximum number of events and talks that students can
attend, students may earn no more than one point per Writer’s Circle Paper for
a maximum of three extra points. The points earned (maximum of three) will
be added to the “Quizzes, Summaries, and/or Assignments” average from
core lecture). Students must submit papers within three days of attending the
event. It is possible to receive a zero on a submitted paper due to poor
writing, not following content and formatting guidelines laid out by the
professor, and/or late submission.
7. Lab assignments: Individual lab professors will inform students about the
specific assignments they will complete.
The above average paper, project, or presentation lacks the originality of thought and
style that characterizes superior work and is characterized by the following:
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1. A clear statement of central claim, thesis, main idea or purpose
2. Concentration on main idea or purpose with logical development and
adequate support
3. The use of solid supporting data, with appropriate documentation
4. Careful construction of sentences and paragraphs
5. Free from errors in punctuation, grammar and mechanics
1. A vague and imprecise statement of the central claim, thesis, main idea or
purpose
2. Evidence of supporting detail, but inadequate development of the central
claim, thesis, main idea or purpose
3. Lack of concentration of main idea or purpose
4. Careless or imprecise organization of paragraphs and construction of sentences
and sentence structure
5. Failure to incorporate relevant sources and/or appropriate documentation
6. Contains errors in grammar or mechanics, but demonstrates control of language
The grade of D indicates below average achievement in expressing ideas correctly and
effectively and sometimes indicates a lack of comprehension of the material. Most D
papers, projects, and presentations fail to present a central idea clearly or to develop it
adequately. Please note, although D papers are characterized by flawed organization
of ideas and careless construction of paragraphs and sentences, with revision and
editing, prior to the submission, many D papers and projects may be worth at least a C
rating.
The grade of F usually indicates a failure to state and develop a main idea. It may also
indicate failure to grasp a key concept, to follow directions, or to avoid serious errors in
grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure. The following weaknesses
characterize F-caliber work:
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I = INCOMPLETE
An “I” (Incomplete) will be given only in cases of real emergency, such as serious illness,
at the end of the semester. The student must be doing passing work. An official
petition must be documented and submitted for approval by the instructor, Program
Director, and Academic Dean. An Incomplete grade must be changed by the
deadline specified on the college calendar or it will be automatically changed to “F.”
The removal of an “I” grade does not guarantee a passing grade.
“Instructors have the authority to establish attendance and grading policies that
penalize absences. Instructors may also withdraw a student who violates established
course policies and procedures.” Spelman College Bulletin
The ADW Program Policy regarding attendance applies to all sections. Regular and
punctual attendance is required in order to ensure a passing grade in this course. More
than three unexcused absences during the semester will lower a student’s final grade.
Students are expected to arrive for class on time and remain until class is over. If a
student arrives after class begins, she must notify the professor of her late arrival in a
written note at the end of class so that she will not be marked absent. After more than
three unexcused absences, a student may be removed from class by the instructor,
who will notify the student and the academic dean. Missing a significant number of
classes, even with excuses, will adversely affect students’ performance in this class;
students should consult with their instructor about withdrawal from class in such cases.
Excuses for absences must be presented to the professor immediately upon the
student’s return to class or as soon as the excuse is available. It is the student’s
responsibility to approach the Dean’s office to obtain the necessary excuse note within
one week of returning to class. To ensure those absences are accurately recorded as
excused, students should provide their professor with a printed copy of the excuse that
can be kept on file.
Please refer to the official policy on excused absences from the Dean of
Undergraduate Studies.
All written assignments must be submitted to the instructor in hard copy format, unless
otherwise specified by the professor. All assignments (electronic, oral, written, take-
home, collaborative, and individually-prepared) are due on the date and time
specified by the professor, whether or not the student is present in class. For
assignments not submitted on time, there will be penalties for late submission, as
determined by the individual instructor.
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Policy on Make-Ups
Absences from unscheduled assignments (e.g., pop quizzes, timed or in-class writings,
etc.) will not be excused, and there will be no make-up work even if a valid excuse
note is provided by the Dean’s office.
For scheduled assignments, make-ups might be considered but only in cases of real
emergency as verified by the professor and/or a valid excuse from the Dean's Office. If
the emergency is verified and if make-up work is approved by the professor, it is the
student’s responsibility to schedule a time, with the professor, to do the work within a
week of her return to class. Failure to schedule make-up work within this time frame
may result in a zero for the missed assignment. All students are expected to complete
work for this course during the semester, not later.
Students must be present to take their final exam as scheduled. Final examinations for
all ADW sections, regardless of when students meet in core lecture or lab, will be on
Wednesday, December 9, 2015 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m.. The location for the final
examination may or may not be the classroom in which students have their core
lectures. Exam locations for all ADW sections will be posted on the ADW Office door in
Giles 107.
* Please Note: Buying a plane / train / bus, etc. ticket which has the
student leave College prior to her scheduled final exam during final exam
week, including if someone else buys the ticket for her, is not an
acceptable reason to be excused from the regularly scheduled final.
Thus, it is the student’s responsibility to inform her loved ones and others
not to purchase tickets which have her leave the College prior to the
scheduled exam.
Please Note: If a student has a final exam for a different course that
conflicts with the ADW final exam, the following will take place: (1)
professor will verify conflict through the Registrar’s Office; (2) student will
complete an ADW Final Examination Conflict Resolution Form (available in
ADW Office, Giles 107) and submit it to lecture professor by no later than
November 25, 2015; (3) professor will notify student of alternative date,
time, and place to take ADW final.
At the heart of Spelman College’s mission is academic excellence, along with the
development of intellectual, ethical, and leadership qualities. These goals can only
flourish in an institutional environment where every member of the College affirms
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honesty, trust, and mutual respect. As a member of the academic community of
Spelman College, students are expected to understand and follow the basic standards
of honesty, integrity, and ethical behavior. This is not limited to test day alone!
Providing or receiving assistance in a manner not authorized by the professor is
academic dishonesty, whether it is on a test, on homework, or in class. Unless otherwise
instructed, students’ work should be entirely their own. Students should not let the
Internet entice them into engaging in dishonest behavior: for example, it is plagiarism
to cut and paste someone else’s words, analysis, or pictures/photos without attribution.
Spelman has a clear policy on Academic Integrity. All students should read it carefully
and be aware of the strong sanctions involved in cases of academic dishonesty.
http://www.spelman.edu/academics/catalog/catalog2007/academicintegritypolicy.html
Disability Statement
Spelman College is committed to ensuring the full participation of all students in its
programs. If you have a documented disability (or think you may have a disability)
and, as a result, need a reasonable accommodation to participate in class, complete
course requirements, or benefit from the College's programs or services, you should
contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS) as soon as possible. To receive any
academic accommodation, you must be appropriately registered with ODS. ODS
works with students confidentially and does not disclose any disability-related
information without their permission. ODS serves as a clearinghouse on disability issues
and works in partnership with faculty and all other student service offices. For further
information about services for students with disabilities, please contact the ODS,
available at 404.270.5289 and located in MacVicar Hall, Room 106.
1. Students are expected to arrive to class on time and remain until class is over.
2. Students who arrive late while a quiz is being administered will not be allowed to
take the quiz or make it up later.
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5. Students are expected to remain attentive, alert, and conscientious in listening
and note-taking during the entire class period in both core-lecture and in lab.
Refer to the “Quick Guide” below for details on behaviors that are
unacceptable in the college classroom
6. While in lab, students should make meaningful, respectful, and informed verbal
contributions to class discussion. Any on-line discussions, when permitted by the
professor, should also entail only meaningful, respectful, and informed
contributions.
7. Each individual professor will inform students of her/his policy regarding the use
of electronic devices (e.g., laptops, cell phones, iPads, eBooks, etc.) for course
related work during core lecture and in lab. Students are expected to respect
their individual professor’s policy at all times while in her/his classroom.
9. Students should request permission from the professor before inviting guests to
class.
10. Students should know, be mindful of, and follow all College policies on rules and
etiquette at all times.
11. Students are expected to follow the proper protocol for addressing concerns
and grievances. Students should first speak with their professor about their
concerns or grievances. If not satisfied with the professor’s response, students
should make an appointment with the program Director, Dr. Soraya Mekerta,
through Ms. Crystal Dollison, senior administrative assistant in the ADW Office
(Giles 107). If the issue is not resolved with the Director, students may address
their concerns to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.
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ADW Faculty and Staff for Fall 2015
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ADW 111 Map Quiz
Be able to locate the following on a map.
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ADW 111 – Fall 2015
Schedule of Readings and Assignments
Aug Texts:
24 - 27 (1) Freire, Paulo, “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”
(2) Collins, Merlin, “Crick Crack”
(3) Hubbard, Ruth, “Fact Making and Feminism”
Aug 31 – Texts:
Sept 3 (1) Patterson, Tiffany R. and Robin Kelley, “Unfinished Migrations:
1-4 Reflections on the African Diaspora and the Making of the
Modern World"
(2) Guy-Sheftall, Beverly, “Shifting Contexts: Lessons from Integrating
Black, Gender, and African Diaspora Studies”
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Week 5 The Complexity of Identity Formation: Gender and Sexuality
Sept Texts:
14 -17 (1) Guy-Sheftall, Beverly, “Gender as an Analytic Category”
(2) Daniel-Tatum, Beverly, “The Complexity of Identity: ‘Who Am I?’’
(3) Lorde, Audre, “Poetry Is Not a Luxury,” “The Transformation of
Silence into Language and Action,” “The Master’s Tools Will Never
Dismantle the Master’s House”
Sept Texts:
21 - 24 (1) Gomez, Michael, Chapter 1, “Antiquity”
(2) Gomez, Michael, Chapter 3, “Africans and the Islamic World”
(3) Forthcoming: reading on the ashé concept (on Moodle)
Sept 28 Texts:
- Oct 1 (1) Niane, DT, Sundiata: An Epic From Old Mali
Oct Texts:
5-8 (1) Alpers, Edward, Resisting Bondage in the Indian Ocean World.
(2) The African Diaspora and the Indian Ocean World website:
http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africansindianocean/essay-intro.php
(students should read the Introduction and also look at the various
maps and images found on this website)
(3) Voices of the Sidis (film available on Moodle)
Due:
Museum Audio Narrative must be uploaded on Moodle by midnight on
Thursday, October 9, 2014.
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Week 9 The Indian Ocean Diaspora (Part II)
Oct Texts:
19 - 22 (1) Gomez, Michael, Chapter 4 “Transatlantic Moment”
(2) Harris, Joseph, Map of the African Diaspora (map)
Core-Lecture Activity:
Map Quiz
Week 11 Enslavement
Oct Texts:
26 - 29 (1) Gomez, Michael, Chapter 5 “Enslavement”
Nov Texts:
2-5 (1) Gomez, Michael, Chapter 6 “Asserting the Right to Be,” 109-141
(2) Davis, Angela, “Black Women in the Community of Slaves”
(3) Egalite for All: Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian
Revolution (film available on Moodle)
Lab:
Artistic / Performance Projects (I)
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Week 13 Asserting the Right to Be: Slavery and Resistance (Part II)
Nov Texts:
9 - 12 (1) The History of Mary Prince
Due:
Critical Essay due to core-lecture professor in lecture.
Lab:
Artistic / Performance Projects (II)
Nov Texts:
16 - 19 (1) Gomez, Michael, Chapter 6 “Asserting the Right to Be,” 141-161
Lab:
Artistic / Performance Projects (III)
Nov 30 - Texts:
Dec (1) Andrews, George Reid, “A Transfusion of New Blood: Whitening
2 1880-1930”
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Dec Reading Period
3-4
Please Note: Regardless of when your ADW sections meet, for Lecture or Lab, all
ADW finals will be administered on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 from 5:00 –
7:00 pm. Exam locations will be posted on the door of the ADW Program Office
(Giles 107). Please be aware that exams may or may not be administered in the
room in which you have your core lecture.
Reminder: If you are a student with paperwork on file at the Office of Disability
Services that specifies accommodations relevant to the ADW final exam, please
remind your core lecture professor of that on the last day of lecture. Any
accommodations must be arranged and confirmed with your professor well
before exam day.
Warning: Anyone caught cheating on the final exam will automatically receive
a ZERO and may face FURTHER DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES for violating
Spelman College’s standards for academic honesty.
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