Aims

The course aims to reveal the general characteristics of African cultures and the impact oral "literature" have had on these cultures.

Main themes

The course has two parts :
1. Oral literature: a panoramic view of the oral literary genres situated in their social context: proverbs, pièges, riddles, stories, curses, arousing words, etc. For each of the genres, we examine their characteristics (form and content), their different expressions (sub-genres), and their social and cultural aspects.
2. Cultures: a presentation of some representative cultural facts which are at the root of the Africans' insertion into their communities and which model their behavior, their way of thinking, and their relationship to others and to the world.
Method: determined to favor the students' personal reflections and critical thought before any idea about Africa, the course presents concepts, approaches, and the basic theoretical support of African studies by encouraging exchanges based on readings, assignments, and presentations that show the students' active participation in the course.

Content and teaching methods

The course aims to bring to light the general characteristics of African cultures and the importance of the oral tradition within them. It is comprised of two parts. On the basis of symbolic rites and representations, the first part uncovers the representative cultural facts at the foundation of an African's insertion into his/her community, forming behaviour, ways of thinking, and relationships with others and the world. The second part gives an overview of oral literary genres placed within their socio-cultural contexts; emphasis is place on the socio-psychological motivations of their practitioners. Aiming to privilege personal and critical reflection by the student, the course attempts to present the basic concepts, approaches, and theoretical structures of African studies while opening up new perspectives. It is an occasion for real exchange with the students over readings, individual assignments, and presentations requiring active participation.

Other credits in programs