Our courses are multifaceted as they provide students with a wide-range of real-life experiences to accompany a colorful education. Students who become a part of the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies will experience an array of courses from intellectual scholars from all over the world.
For a list of our current courses, please see the LSA Course Guide. Students interested in proposing an independent study in consultation with a faculty member of their choosing will need to complete the DAAS independent study form, which is due the first full week of classes in the corresponding term.
WINTER 2026 DAAS Courses by Theme
Environmental Studies
AAS 261, Nature and Power: An Introduction to Political Ecology, Klein
AAS 449, Energy Matters: Environment, Culture, Power, and the Oil State, Adunbi
AAS 495.005, Exploitation and the Environment: Conservation, Extraction, and Uneven Development, Klein
Expressive Arts
AAS 104.007 Introduction to East African Culture, Akiding
AAS 104.012, Introduction to the Harlem Renaissance, Gunning
AAS 208, Introduction to African Art, Doris
AAS 233, Stayin' Alive: Performing Race in 1970s U.S. Film, Poulson-Bryant
AAS 290.006, The Black Memoir, Boisseron
AAS 329, Writing Sex: Contemporary Black Women Writers, Strongman
AAS 362, Expressive Culture of the Black Atlantic: Vision and Time, Doris
AAS 382, Toni Morrison’s Magnificent Love Trilogy, Levy-Hussen
AAS 384, Caribbean Women Writers, Khan
AAS 393, Flawless/Formation/Freedom: Writing about Race, Gender, and Popular Culture, Poulson-Bryant
AAS 495.004, The World of Zora Neale Hurston, Ellsworth
AAS 558.002, Filming the Future of Liberation, Partridge
Gender and Sexuality Studies
AAS 104.012, Intro to the Harlem Renaissance, Gunning
AAS 304, Gender and Immigration: Identity, Race, and Place, Fadlalla
AAS 323, Black Feminism(s), Strongman
AAS 329, Writing Sex: Contemporary Black Women Writers, Strongman
AAS 353, Urban Ethnography and the Black Experience, Burch
AAS 384, Caribbean Women Writers, Khan
AAS 393, Flawless/Formation/Freedom: Writing about Race, Gender, and Popular Culture, Poulson-Bryant
AAS 482, Black Queer Theory, Kelow-Bennett
AAS 490.006 From Grandmothers to Activists? African Stories of Gender and Knowledge, Ginestet
Global Political Economies
AAS 103.003, The City Life in Urban Africa, Andoh
AAS 261, Nature and Power: An Introduction to Political Ecology, Klein
AAS 290.601, Global Blackness: Experiences in Latin America, Brazil, Ekotto
AAS 304, Gender and Immigration: Identity, Race, and Place, Fadlalla
AAS 449, Energy Matters: Environment, Culture, Power, and the Oil State, Adunbi
AAS 495.005, Exploitation and the Environment: Conservation, Extraction, and Uneven Development, Klein
AAS 495.006 What is a Black City?, Partridge
Health
AAS 104.10, Histories of Healing in Africa, Thomas
Law, Politics, and Social Justice
AAS 231, Survey of Afro-American History II, Young
AAS 248, Crime, Race, and the Law, Ellsworth
AAS 251, Law, Race, and the Historical Process II, Woods
AAS 262, From Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter, Countryman
AAS 303, Race and Ethnic Relations, Mahan
AAS 323, Black Feminism(s), Strongman
AAS 330, Living for the City: Black Study and Urban Transformation, Ward
AAS 353, Urban Ethnography and the Black Experience, Burch
AAS 358.003, Race and the Law in American History, Wells
AAS 359, African Politics, Pitcher
AAS 441, Political Violence in Africa, Davis
AAS 498.002, The History and Future of Black Studies, Ward
AAS 498.003, Community-Engaged Research: Black History of Washtenaw County, Countryman
AAS 495.006 What is a Black City?, Partridge
AAS 558.002, Filming the Future of Liberation, Partridge
Migrations and Humanitarianism
AAS 304, Gender and Immigration: Identity, Race, and Place, Fadlalla
AAS 358.004 Topics in Black World Studies: Return to Roots; The African Diaspora in the Francophone World, Mo
AAS 395, Germany and the Black Diaspora, Rodena-Krasan
AAS 490.004, Fighting for Human Rights, Fadlalla
Popular Culture and New Media
AAS 233, Stayin' Alive: Performing Race in 1970s U.S. Film, Poulson-Bryant
AAS 393, Flawless/Formation/Freedom: Writing about Race, Gender, and Popular Culture, Poulson-Bryant
AAS 558.002, Filming the Future of Liberation, Partridge
Religion and Spiritual Practice
AAS 104.009, African Christianities, Deese
AAS 319, The Black Church, Deese
Languages
AAS 116.002, Elementary Swahili II: Language and Culture, Mwipopo
AAS 116.003, Elementary Swahili II: Language and Culture, Mwipopo
AAS 126, Elementary Yoruba, Ayoola
AAS 216, Intermediate Swahili II, Mwipopo
AAS 216, Intermediate Swahili II, Akiding
AAS 226, Intermediate Yoruba II, Ayoola
AAS 326, Advance Yoruba II, Ayoola
DAAS-In-Action Seminars
AAS 498.002, The History and Future of Black Studies, Ward
AAS 498.003, Community-Engaged Research: Black History of Washtenaw County, Countryman
Senior Seminars
AAS 495.004, The World of Zora Neale Hurston, Ellsworth
AAS 495.005, Exploitation and the Environment: Conservation, Extraction, and Uneven Development, Klein
AAS 495.006 What is a Black City?, Partridge
Comparative or Global (DAAS major/minor distribution requirement, must be 300 or 400-level)
AAS 304, Gender and Immigration: Identity, Race, and Place, Fadlalla
AAS 323, Black Feminism(s), Strongman
AAS 358.004 Topics in Black World Studies: Return to Roots; The African Diaspora in the Francophone World, Mo
AAS 359, African Politics, Pitcher
AAS 362, Expressive Culture of the Black Atlantic: Vision and Time, Doris
AAS 384, Caribbean Women Writers, Khan
AAS 395, Germany and the Black Diaspora, Rodena-Krasan
AAS 441, Political Violence in Africa, Davis
AAS 495.006 What is a Black City?, Partridge
ULWR (LSA requirement)
AAS 393, Flawless/Formation/Freedom: Writing about Race, Gender, and Popular Culture, Poulson-Bryant
AAS 482, Black Queer Theory, Kelow-Bennett
AAS 495.004, The World of Zora Neale Hurston, Ellsworth
Race and Ethnicity (LSA Requirement)
AAS 201, Intro to Afroamerican Studies, Kelow-Bennett
AAS 262, From Civil Rights to Black Lives Matter, Countryman
AAS 303, Race and Ethnic Relations, Mahan
AAS 395, Germany and the Black Diaspora, Rodena-Krasan
First Year Seminars
AAS 103.003, City Life in Africa, Andoh
AAS 104.007, Intro to East African Culture, Akiding
AAS 104.009, African Christianities, Deese
AAS 104.010, Histories of Healing in Africa, Thomas
AAS 104.012, Intro to the Harlem Renaissance, Gunning
