African 202: Internet & Democracy in Africa and the Diaspora

After access, after representation, what are the ends of our technological means? With China’s rise, what portends for the Global South, what role does Africa and the African diaspora in Latin America/Europe/globally in this strategic play?  After migration and climate change, what will a more global Africa look like? What does governance and democracy look like on a continent typified by dictators and failed states in the publics’ eye?  This course will push past common stereotypes about African life to dissect its futures, technologies, expressiveness at home and abroad, links to Black life in the diaspora, and unresolved autonomy in an era of digital feudalism. Readings will draw from qualitative studies of African/Black/Latinx/Diasporic life since at least 2000, as well as novels, films and art. Students will engage in both analytical paper writing, and experiment with digital media in their final projects including podcasts and social networking tools.