Programs and Ideology
Undergraduate Studies
Undergraduates draw on all aspects of the Department of Africana Studies' multifaceted program, embarking on a dynamic journey that introduces them to a range of perspectives, cultures, and methodologies. The undergraduate curriculum explores contributions made by the Diaspora to the roots and development of African American and Afro-Caribbean culture.
Africana Studies encourages an appreciation of diversity and emphasizes the ways in which people of African descent from around the world have constructed and interpreted their own lives. Students are equipped with the tools that enable them to both pursue critical study within the field and apply their knowledge in practical manners outside the classroom.
Connecting Scholars
In addition to housing an undergraduate program, the Department of Africana Studies serves as an important resource for faculty members and graduate students, providing a forum for those whose research deals with Africa or the Diaspora. Contributing to this forum is a distinguished group of minority doctoral candidates that the Department brings to Notre Dame through its Erskine A. Peters Dissertation Year Fellowship Program.
Africana Studies also supports learning opportunities that go beyond a traditional curriculum. In light of its position as an interdisciplinary program focused on the history and lived experiences of people of African descent, Africana Studies brings nationally and internationally known scholars from multiple fields to campus to participate in lecture series and symposia.
These programs have included "Race in the Americas," "Rethinking Affirmative Action: Diversity, Racial Preferences, and Restitution," and "The Long Reach of African American Poetics," collaborative efforts with the Institute for Latino Studies, the Department of Political Science, and the Creative Writing Program, respectively. Such events add to the continuing dialogue cultivated by our faculty, Peters Fellows, and undergraduates, enhancing study at all levels.
The Peters Fellowship
The Peters Fellowship was established in 1999 to honor the life and academic achievements of Dr. Erskine A. Peters, professor of English and a noted scholar in African American culture and literature.
His commitment to scholarship, community service and graduate education remains legendary among his colleagues and students. Holding appointments as visiting faculty fellows, Peters Fellows use their time at the University to complete their dissertations.
Peters Fellows regularly engage in critical dialogue with faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates about human, cultural, historical, and political factors that shape Afrodiasporan experiences globally. Representing a variety of academic disciplines, the fellows provide an intellectual foundation for Africana Studies at the University of Notre Dame.