This survey of the cultures and societies of Africa is designed to be a broad interdisciplinary introduction to the study of this extraordinary continent. The course introduces different approaches, styles, and perspectives to the course materials (readings, lectures, discussions, video clips, films), making linkages among their various subjects and orientations. Each of you will come away with some understanding of the complexities and diversities of contemporary and historical Africa. You will discover, for example, that generalizations about “Africa” — whether by the media, academics, policy makers, or even the instructor — rarely hold across the entire continent.