College of Arts and Science Vanderbilt University

Program In African American and Diaspora Studies

What Our Alumni Tell Us

 

Our alumni tell us that courses in African American and Diaspora Studies provide excellent preparation and foundation not only for graduate work in the humanities and social sciences, but also for careers in a number of fields, including traditional areas, such as business, education, health care, law, journalism, social work, and politics. Because the African Diaspora has so deeply influenced the making of the world today, it is an ideal field for students wishing to work in public and private organizations that investigate issues of far-reaching significance and consequences in the United States and beyond. Moreover, African American and Diaspora Studies also uniquely prepares students for positions in many of America's premier museums, cultural centers, and historic sites, as well as in the array of industries that market to African descent people, such as advertising, film, and music. Students gain a diversity of knowledge, coupled with cultural awareness about global and multiethnic societies, which translates into clear advantages and assets, leading to multiple career opportunities and paths.
 


Below is a sample of books used in our Introduction to African American and Diaspora Studies course:

James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time
Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism
W. E. B. Du Bois, The Souls of Black Folk
Harriet Jacobs, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Walter Rodney, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
Eric Williams, From Columbus to Castro: The History of the Caribbean, 1492-1969