Mission Statement
The mission of the department is to produce and disseminate constructive knowledge and understanding about the peoples of Africa. These include their artistic productions and economic contribution to universal progress, their shared but also complex and diverse histories, cultures and languages, the place and differential impact of race, ethnicity and gender in the construction of their identities within the United States, Africa and its Diaspora, and globally.The department's research and teaching focus on guiding and encouraging students to develop and strengthen essential intellectual skills, preparing them for scholarly and professional careers in many areas including development work with governmental or non-governmental organizations, agencies in law, education, journalism and other endeavors.
The geographical focus of the department's teaching and research is the United States (Black America), Africa and the Caribbean. In each area, students are able to develop their knowledge in their specific areas of interest as they explore ideas and issues relevant for understanding the interlocking complexities of global Africa's history, life and experiences.
While the written and printed text - usually in the European languages - remains the principal mode of apprehension of the societies and cultures of Black America, Africa and the Caribbean, the department recognizes the importance of orality for the study of these societies. The importance of orality in the cultures of people of African descent will be pursued not only in disciplines like History and Literature, but also in forms of popular, non-literary culture such as film, dance, and folklore. Department faculty and students engage in collaborative research and teaching with colleagues relevant departments at OSU.
African languages represent a significant part of the 'heritage' of African Americans. Consequently, OSU's Department of African American and African Studies considers the teaching of African languages, vital to a deeper understanding of the cultures of Africa, important to its mission. The Department's support of Study Abroad programs is one way of strengthening the broader connections between the different geographical areas of study featured in the department's curriculum. By offering African language courses, the department contributes to OSU's foreign language programming and provides students with more opportunities to fulfill their foreign language requirement.
An essential part of the department's mission involves service to the community in Columbus, the State of Ohio and nationally. Some of the service will take the form of sustained programs of activity at the Department's Extension Center. Using community based research, symposia, seminars on health and other local issues, and training in 'heritage' languages (designed to benefit the inner city community socially and culturally), the department contributes ideas for the formulation and implementation of progressive public policies with positive consequences for the black community.
