Boston University African Studies Center

Founded in 1953, the African Studies Center has provided a strong foundation in African studies to generations of university professors, economists, health workers, government officials, development personnel, diplomats, and numerous others. The ASC is federally funded under Title VI as a National Resource Center to promote language and area studies in Africa. The ASC is currently the only Title VI center at BU and one of only two Title VI Africa centers in New England. Through our Title VI funding, we are able to provide Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) fellowships to some graduate and undergraduate students studying African languages. The African Studies Center offers a rigorous academic program to students pursuing degrees in a variety of fields. Over 90 faculty and researchers in 20 schools and departments throughout BU are affiliated with the ASC and offer a wide range of courses with significant Africa content. Undergraduates can earn a Minor in African Studies or a Minor in African Languages & Literature. Graduate students can earn a Certificate in African Studies while completing a master’s or doctorate. The African Studies Center offers a rich and diverse program outside the classroom as well. In the weekly Walter Rodney Seminar Series, faculty and students engage with some of the top Africanist scholars. Regular programs such as the African Film Series, Morse Lecture, Graduate Student Conference, and African Theater Night offer abundant additional opportunities for scholarly engagement on Africa. The ASC has the Teacher Resource Library, as part of the Outreach Program, that serves K–12 educators, and also has a publications program that publishes the International Journal of African Historical Studies and several series of working papers.