Why minor in African American & African Diaspora Studies at Washburn?

Do you want to work in advocacy or justice? Do you have a passion for fairness and want to understand why society just isn’t? The African American & African Diaspora Studies minor is an opportunity to use a critical lens to better understand social movements, society, and disparity. The foundation of the AAADS minor is critical race theory, in particular the premise that the social construction of race and ethnicity is linked to systems of power and privilege influenced by social, historical, and cultural processes.

What is a minor?

A minor is a concentration in an area that is not as in-depth as a major, but can be added to a major to broaden or deepen your skills and knowledge in a particular area of interest. This is an interdisciplinary minor, which means it draws from several disciplines to provide different perspectives as you study.

Courses you'll take

The AAADS minor requires 15 credits (5 courses) and combines required courses in history or anthropology with the opportunity for courses in the disciplines of anthropology, art, mass media, psychology, sociology, and more.

Required Courses:

  • AD 200: Introduction to Critical Race and Ethnic Studies
  • Select one:
    • AN 317: Peoples and Cultures of Africa
    • HI 328: African American History
    • HI 329: The Civil Rights Movement or
    • HI 370: Modern Africa

*Courses which may be applied to the minor:

  • AN 317: Peoples and Cultures of Africa
  • AR 309: Arts of Africa
  • HI 328: African American History
  • HI 329: The Civil Rights Movement
  • HI 370: Modern Africa
  • HS 450/HS650: Multicultural Issues
  • MM 360: Minorities and the Media
  • PY 395: Psychology of Social Power
  • SO 207: Race and Ethnic Relations
  • Approved directed readings or independent studies

*This list is not exhaustive.

What you'll learn and be able to do with this minor


• Describe the history of the African diaspora and the impact of colonialism, global slave trade and segregation/apartheid on African Americans and other African diasporic communities.
• Analyze the social construction of race and ethnicity and how their intersections with class, gender and other factors affect the aforementioned groups.
• Apply interdisciplinary methods and theories appropriate to AAADS.
• Demonstrate social justice practices informed by critical race theory.

Connect!

Ready to create your study plan? Contact Mary Sundal, program director, at mary.sundal@washburn.edu.

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