African-American Studies · Columbia University
We were taught a great deal on the evolution of the effects of slavery.
10 1-page response papers; Take-home midterm; Observation paper based on attending a black religious service or interviewing an old religious person; 10% attendance/participation. For the final, there was a choice between writing a research paper or doing an in-class final, but because the exam was so close to Christmas, Sorett made the final take-home.
I have learned a lot about the history of African - Americans and culture. The readings were interesting and instructors were helpful
I took Religion in Black America in Fall 2009. The class was incredibly interesting and diverse in the material it covered. Sorett took a genuine interest in the students, was very personable, and tried to have a meaningful discussion focusing mostly on students' input each class. At the end of the semester, he sponsored a voluntary, informal lunch which was very fun. Sorett was always prepared for class and on time. We had weekly one-page response papers which he always read and sometimes brought up in class. He usually used the first part of class for lecture/powerpoints/songs/videos and then led a discussion. The readings were generally about one book per week but were usually very interesting. Not a hard class if you are interested in the material. This class was one of my favorites at Columbia, and Sorett is awesome.
The T.A. was instrumental in encouraging me to look at issues from a more creative and intellectual perspective.
I learned the history behind the black experience. We analyzed the different view points of black leaders from slavery to modern black America. I was able to understand in a profound way America's history that has been erased from a lot of history books or that i wasnt taught in high school. I learned the many perspectives and the ability to critically analyze any information in light of a more complete history.
I learned a lot about how to approach writing about topics in African American Studies.
- african american history from prior to the slave trade to modern black history
Of the skills gained from the course, the most valuable for me was the knowledge of how to synthesize very complex text, formulate thoughts on them and then share this with my classmates. The readings were not easily digestible by any means, but by engaging with them I grew so much as a scholar and an independent thinker.
No matter what race or ethnicity you identify as, there is so much to be learned from this course and Prof.