Brigitte Stepanov
FREN 3420
ARBC 3420
SWAH 3420
WOLO 3420
PORT 3420
ML 2500 B
Spring 2022

"Intro to Africa" is a commitment to inclusive teaching using a diversity of materials and approaches to introduce students to various aspects of various nations in Africa. As its name suggest, "Intro to Africa" is broad in its goal. It is also interdisciplinary in its methodologies and lenses and welcomes a plurality of knowledge systems. It is a course dedicated to studying representations (literary, cinematographic, and artistic production more largely, as well as representations found in the news, in scholarly journals, and on social media) of societies, communities, cultures, and languages. Themes discussed in this class will examine a broad set of questions concerning justice, equity, identity, gender, and human rights. These notions are at the fore of "creating sustainable communities" - and also integrate and respond to the UN Sustainable Development Goals - because they are integral to building communities that last while improving the well-being of their members and their surrounding environment. Ultimately, this course is driven by cultural and linguistic diversity as it honors multiple ways of knowing in various social, cultural, and environmental contexts: values ingrained in SLS and integral to Georgia Tech. In order to study and integrate this diversity, we will be reading a number of texts from different perspectives, watching films and videos, and interacting with online sources, as well as learning from guest lecturers. Guest lectures will be informed by global issues pertaining to a diversity of peoples, languages, and cultures, and rooted in inclusive pedagogy, fostering relationships between Georgia Tech, community partners, and beyond. These master classes are also ways of encouraging student engagement insofar as they will facilitate dialogue with scholars who can provide greater context for their work. 

Course Type
Course Level
Partner Engagement
Core Curriculum Requirements