AMST 406 - Crafting Research: Methods in Africana Studies

Institution:

Williams College

Subject:

American Studies

Description:

Any student of Africana Studies swiftly recognizes there is a limitless breadth to what constitutes "Africana experience" and that there are diverse means through which Africana experience is examined. For example, while some scholars utilize a more historical approach to chronicle Africana experience, others study the black body via performance to unearth nuanced meanings of Africana experience. This capstone seminar will explore a variety of methods and strategies for crafting research within the field of Africana Studies. We will focus on approaches that derive from traditional disciplines as well as techniques that have emerged with the advent of dynamic new media and digital technologies. Some of the methodologies we will engage include: historiography; archival research; digital archiving; quantitative data analysis; ethnographic and qualitative analysis; critical textual analysis; reading the body as art and text; blogging and digital publishing; and evaluating films as text. Serving as a practicum, the course will provide considerable background in a variety of methods as well as hands-on learning. Students will have the opportunity to craft a final research project that is best explored through one or more of the methods we examine.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Seminar

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.williams.edu

Phone Number:

(413) 597-3131

Regional Accreditation:

New England Association of Schools and Colleges

Calendar System:

Four-one-four plan

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.