More Than a Single Story: Exploring Africa Through Multiple Lenses.

Betty Okwako-Riekkola, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Education, Albion College.

Thursdays. 5:00 pm. – 7:00 pm. October 14, 21, 28. In Person. Class size 25.

This course will focus on one of the least understood regions of the world, Sub-Sahara Africa. The Sub-Saharan Africa region is quite diverse and stretches from the central part of the continent of Africa, to the southern part of the African continent. It is also the world’s youngest region and is growing in population and importance. While the region is gaining greater focus, many westerners are not able to locate the region on a world map. For many, knowledge of Africa is informed by stereotypes and exotic perceptions that depict Africa as the “dark continent, rife with disease, poverty and civil strife. Chimananda Adichie refers to these |misconceptions as the “single story’ of Africa. By exploring the global forces and processes that have shaped this region of the world, this course will introduce learners to the counter narratives of the “single story” of Africa. Course activities include discussions, reading short articles, and analyzing digital resources. The third week we will discuss food and prepare some typical traditional Kenyan/African dishes to share.