NEW PROGRAMS INCREASE GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING
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| The new black world studies major covers the cultural, historical, political, religious, economic, and artistic formation of black societies worldwide. |
“We feel it’s important to create organized learning experiences that focus on the black world and the Islamic world, given current events and the major role in international affairs that these societies play today and will play in the years ahead,” says Isiaah Crawford, PhD, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
The University’s black world studies program already offers a minor. The new major will offer a choice of three areas of concentration and include an internship or study-abroad experience. Students will study the cultural, historical, political, religious, economic, and artistic formation of black societies in Africa, the United States, and the Caribbean.
“For political and social reasons, we’re duty-bound to bring this opportunity to our students and our community,” says Ayana Karanja, PhD, black world studies director.
The Islamic world studies minor aims to make the study of Islam more global, allowing for regional complexities and interconnectedness, rather than focusing solely on a limited Middle Eastern context. The curriculum offers language study in Arabic, Turkish, and Hindi-Urdu; a study-abroad opportunity; and courses in the cultural, historical, and social experiences of diverse Muslim populations, according to Marcia Hermansen, PhD, Islamic world studies director.
American students want to learn more about this topic, as they know it will remain a significant factor in American domestic and foreign policy for a long time to come, Crawford says. Loyolans, including the University’s large and diverse contingent of Muslim heritage students, are expected to be particularly interested in the new minor.