Your first task in developing your final research paper and poster is to decide on and define the topic you want to explore in African Humanities. A salient theme in this course is how African Humanities is a reflection of the unique social, cultural and historical experiences shared by people living in and connected to Africa. It is a good idea to keep this theme in mind when you consider your topic. This lesson will address the process of selecting a topic for your final project.
Lesson Objectives:
- recognize the criteria for an acceptable topic in African Humanities
- describe a selected topic for a research paper in African Humanities
- evaluate other student topics in a peer review
Your topic can be related to anything in the field of African humanities from topics addressed in this class such as music, art, film, food and the diaspora to other elements of the humanities that were not addressed in this course such as literature and media. Feel free to build on any research from a previous discussion submission or explore a completely new topic.
Since you will be developing your research project over time, it is not unusual for a topic to evolve as new information is acquired through research. This makes it a good idea to begin with a general topic (such as ‘politics in African art’) and then narrow it down to a more specific focus (such as ‘political protest through graffiti in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa’) once you become knowledgeable after more research. Therefore, you can modify or completely change your topic at any time.
A few examples of general topics are listed below:
- Historical Origins of Okra in the United States
- African Cooking Styles in Southern American Cuisine
- Politics in African Hip Hop
- Gender Roles in African Cinema
- Environmental Movements in Africa
- African Influences in the Global Fashion Industry
- The Role of Wildlife in West African story-telling
- Dutch influences in South African Cuisine
- African Livestock in American Agriculture
- The Yoruba Beat and Bo Diddley in American Rock n’ Roll
The list or possible research topics is endless, but you should select something that is interesting and meaningful to you. After conducting research and developing a more sophisticated understanding of the general topic, you will be able to narrow your focus to a more specific statement.
If you are having a hard time deciding, feel free to send an email or set up a Zoom meeting for further discussion and feedback.
For Discussion in Canvas
Write a 50-100-word description of your general topic. Explain the significance of the topic, anything you already know (or think you know) about the topic, and what you hope to learn or discover through your research. The goal of this discussion is to get you to start contemplating and processing the topic of your project. It is expected to develop, evolve and change as you conduct more research.
To receive credit, you must provide constructive criticism on at least two other student submissions. Use what you have learned in this class to evaluate other student topics:
- Does their topic relate to African Humanities?
- Consider the Colonial Representation lesson; How is Africa represented in their topic? Is there an outsider prejudice or bias? (ie highlighting stereotypes about violence, primitivism, etc.)
- Consider the African History lessons; Does the topic address the social and historical contexts?
- Is the topic too specific or too general?
- Does the topic go beyond ‘define and describe’ toward ‘analyze and evaluate’ to produce, create, formulate, new information?
- Can you provide additional references that may be useful for your classmate?
You must provide useful feedback on other student topics to receive credit for this discussion. Simply telling someone you like their topic is not particularly helpful. Think of ways you can help the student improve.