The Ohio State University Department of African American and African Studies

2027 Graduate Courses

2027 Graduate Courses

Spring 2027 Courses

Race and Public Policy in the United States - 5420

This advanced-level course for undergraduate and graduate students explores the relationship between race and public policy in the US by drawing on insights from Black Studies in conversation with Sociology, History, and Critical Legal Studies. 

It examines how systemic racism created socio-economic stratification among racial groups and how racialized practices of power exacerbate inequality and are expressed in public policy. It gives particular attention to colorblindness and analyzes this conceptual framing device in relation to public policy. This course gives particular attention to three policy issues: Affirmative Action, homeownership (and the racial wealth gap), and environmental racism.

Prerequisites: Junior, Senior, or Graduate Student standing, or permission of instructor. 

Not open to students with credit for CompStd 5240 or PubAfrs

  • Dr. Michael R. Fisher, Jr.
  • Tues & Thurs 12:45 - 2:05 PM 
  • Mendenhall Laboratory 125
  • Cross-listed in Comparative Studies and Public Affairs
Course flyer for AFAMST 5240.

Interdepartmental Seminar: Blackface Minstrelsy and its Afterlives - 7730

This graduate seminar offers an introduction to blackface minstrelsy and its afterlives. We will trace the contours of blackface minstrelsy from its origins in the nineteenth-century United States to its resonances in the present day, drawing on examples from music, theater, film, television, literature, and popular culture. Emphasizing sonic and embodied performances of race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, class, and ability, we will consider the historical contexts in which blackface minstrelsy emerged as well as its enduring legacies. Specific topics we will consider include authenticity and appropriation, Black performers in blackface, blackface minstrelsy beyond the “mask,” and the global routes of minstrelsy.
 
As an “interdepartmental seminar,” this course is designed for graduate students across departments who are interested in blackness, music, and performance. We will engage with scholarship from Black Studies, Music Studies, and related fields. No previous formal study of music or “musicianship training” is required.
 
  • Dr. Elea Proctor
  • Tues & Thurs 3:55PM - 5:15PM
  • University Hall 386
Course flyer for AFAMST 8899.

Thesis and Dissertation Proposal Writing - 8995

What is a prospectus and how do you write one? This seminar will walk you through the process of researching and writing a thesis or dissertation prospectus. Through small and large group activities, writing workshops, and peer review sessions, we will cover the sections of a prospectus, as well as how to write in a clear, engaging voice for specialists and non-specialists, alike. 

At regular intervals, you’ll submit each section of the prospectus for feedback, and a portion of each class session will be devoted to setting and meeting a small, specific writing goal. By the end of the semester, you’ll have a polished draft of your prospectus ready to go. 

  • Dr. Cynthia Young
  • Wednesdays, 2:15PM - 5:00PM
  • University Hall 386
Course flyer for AFAMST 8995.

Autumn 2027 Courses