This group has created a cluster of courses that examine the history, culture, and politics of Francophone Africa from an interdisciplinary and cross-divisional perspective that will enhance knowledge of and interest in Francophone Africa, as well as provide students with an option to complete the Integrated Learning Component (ILC) of the new curriculum.
Project Background:
St. Lawrence University has a strong program in African Studies with a concentration on Anglophone Africa. For more than ten years, the Francophone Studies section of Modern Languages and Literatures has offered, as part of the off-campus study program, a course (both in French and in English) on Francophone Africa and an excursion to Senegal.
In addition, a community-based learning course in Senegal has been offered by two colleagues, once over January and then two times in the summer. With all of these resources, the curriculum to prepare students for study in West Africa and to help them integrate their knowledge and experience once back on campus has been limited. Fortunately, we have hired a colleague in a shared tenure-track position in Francophone and African Studies. In addition, colleagues in Government-African Studies, History and Philosophy are interested in enhancing their offerings in this area. Thus, we are poised to create an Integrated Learning Component (ILC) in Francophone West African Studies and we are applying to the Mellon Crossing Boundaries grant for resources to develop this project.
