UMN Faculty

The African Studies Initiative (ASI) at the University of Minnesota is a gateway to interdisciplinary research, teaching, outreach, and intellectual exchange on questions of moment in contemporary Africa, with an eye to the long-historical factors that have shaped the cultural, aesthetic, socioeconomic, political, religious, ecological, and scientific force-fields of the continent, its modern nation-states, and its diverse peoples.  For more on the ASI and its vision, visit the About page.  Under People, you will find a list of University of Minnesota faculty with interests in Africa or the African diaspora, as well as a list of ASI staff contacts.

This website offers a snapshot of key ASI activities in 2014–2018.  Here's how to navigate the site to find the information you need:

To learn more about the ASI's campus conversations, public symposia, and other events, go to Research & Public Programming and click on the links keyed to the ASI's four thematic foci.  Here you will find full programs for the April 2016 symposium Rethinking African Studies, the May 2017 symposium Global Health and Geographies of Disparity in Africa: Knowledge, Creativity, Accountability, the November 2017 symposium Exploring African Agricultural Futures, and the April 2018 symposium Reframing Mass Violence in Africa: Social Memory and Social Justice.  You also will find blog posts and videos.

To access a searchable list of University of Minnesota courses with significant Africa-related content offered in AY 2016–2017 (many offered on a repeating basis), and to search current courses on OneStop, visit Courses.  Here too you will learn more about courses faculty and P&A instructors have developed with ASI Faculty Travel and Faculty Development Grants, as well as other ASI funding.

To learn more about the ASI's outreach to and engagement with K–16 educators in African Studies—including book clubs and curriculum development workshops and summer institutes—go to Outreach & Public Engagement.  Or visit Faculty & Educators, then K–16 Educators.

For select Africa-related resources across the University and beyond, go to Faculty & Educators, then Additional Resources.

Finally, our home page and News & Events page will keep you up to date on the ASI's latest activities.