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Global Black Studies

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Global Black Studies centers the experiences, voices, and research of Black people as a way to challenge dominant narratives.

In short, our research and teaching cover pre- and post-colonial Africa and the African Diaspora in its multiple regions. The mission of the Global Black Studies Program is to provide a robust and critical program of study, research and service on the Black global experience.

Why Global Black Studies

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North Carolina has seen exponential African American, African, and African Diasporan population growth, fueled in part by a reverse migration of African Americans from the North back to the South. Moreover, African Americans have always been a large and important demographic of the state and region.

A minor in Global Black Studies is important to employers throughout the U.S., North Carolina, and the WNC region. A GBS minor helps position students to distinguish themselves for admission into graduate and professional school programs in a myriad of fields and disciplines.

In the workforce, students can draw on their coursework and experiences working with people of diverse backgrounds. The minor also gives students a unique skill set to discuss in interviews with prospective employers.

About the Minor

This area of study is interdisciplinary, which means students can study the experiences of people of African ancestry from many perspectives including literature, culture, history, educational practices, sociological studies, theology and more. Students will also become familiar with Afrocentricity, Critical Race Theory, Intersectionality, Black Feminism, Black Critical Queer Theory, and Black Liberation Theology.

Courses

Students complete 7 courses for the minor, with three required courses:

  • GBS 200 Introduction to Black Studies
  • GBS 300 Key Paradigms and Theories in Black Studies
  • GBS 400 Research, Methodologies and Writing in Black Studies

The other 4 courses can come from a range of departments and many of these courses are also liberal studies courses and will count toward liberal studies electives.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GLOBAL BLACK STUDIES MINOR

  

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the minor in Global Black Studies, students will be able to: 

  • Describe the main stages in the historical development of the global Black experience that reflects both continuity and change, and the different component parts of the human experience. 
  • Assess the historical development of Black peoples in broad global context, emphasizing historical, contemporary, and future implications. 
  • Analyze the experiences of Black people using the perspectives, data, and interpretations from two or more disciplinary fields (e.g., historical studies, cultural studies, social studies). 
  • Evaluate successes and failures as people have used their values to initiate efforts to achieve social justice for Black peoples of diverse social backgrounds. 
  • Design strategies and tactics that provide a solution to a major civic or social challenge facing Black communities in various parts of the world, illustrating how “Academic Excellence and Social Responsibility” in Black Studies have contributed to this process. 

Contact the Program

David Walton

Assistant Professor

Program Director

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