African Studies

Ph.D. and M.A.
Howard University

English

B.A.
Goucher College

African political economy; transnationalism; critical theory in international relations; Sino-African diplomatic and trade relations; language in education policy; culture and globalization; colonial and post-colonial African politics

AFST 101 Introduction to Contemporary Africa

This course, Introduction to Contemporary Africa, seeks to illuminate and clarify the profoundly international character of the world we live in and to introduce a set of contemporary issues and challenges that affect every region of Africa. This interdisciplinary course is designed to introduce students to Africa’s history, geography, culture and political economy. Nevertheless, Africa is unquestionably diverse; it is the world’s second largest continent and the second most populous with 54 countries. In this course, students will challenge their assumptions, ask critical questions and seek new knowledge of Africa. Individual country cases will be used to explore contemporary theoretical debates in history, political science, geography, development economics and anthropology.

AFST 110 African Development and Underdevelopment

Nelson Mandela stated that, “poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid, it is man-made and can be removed by the actions of human beings.” Both economic development and globalization are complex and subjective concepts debated by practitioners and scholars alike. It’s generally understood that economic development is a process that leads to sustained and sustainable economic growth per capita, a reduction in poverty, an expansion of economic opportunities for all citizens and thus higher standards of living. This course unpacks the contested concepts of development with the intent to explain the development gap between rich and poor nations as indicated by income, life expectancy, health and education. The gap between rich and poor countries is evolving, in some cases widening and in others shrinking. This course explores the trends in uneven development and strategies to overcome it.

AFST 125 Africa and China

This course explores the historical and contemporary components of African countries’ diplomatic, economic, and cultural relations with China from the seventh century to the present. Students critically examine the foreign policies of African nations and China with a particular focus on how those policies impact local communities in Africa. The nature of this relationship raises questions about China’s ‘intentions’ in Africa—‘Is this a new scramble for Africa?’ Students employ a multidisciplinary analysis of Sino-African relations to unpack and then deliberate on the complexities of Africa and China’s relationship. Discussion topics include: China’s loan and aid programs, foreign direct investment, infrastructural development, governance, military cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and migration. 

AFST 271 The Rising Powers? Brazil, Russia, India and China in Africa

For the past decade, the combined economies of Brazil, Russia, India, China and arguably South Africa have shifted power in the international system and Africa away from the G7 countries. This seminar course will address this shift and situate it within wider debates and processes around the changing nature of the international system, the politics of development, and the political relations of ‘South-South’ globalization. The BRICS have changed the nature of international political economy not only in the world system but also in developing countries where their investment will continue to shape local markets. This interdisciplinary course stands at the intersection of international relations, development studies and international political economy.

AFST 157 African Film, Literature and Society

Africa has had a rich tradition of expressive cultures from the griot to the Nollywood film director. This course explores the evolution of postcolonial African film and literature.  African films and literatures are a vital part of the cultural artifacts that reflect the creative imaginations of people of African descent.  This course approaches these mediums as art that should be interpreted and critiqued within a historical context that reflects a specific time and place. Film and literature often address, implicitly or explicitly, our assumptions, our values, our aspirations, and our fears. Thus, this course will explore how writers and filmmakers imagine their subjects in the midst of rapidly changing societies. This course will allow you to begin your exploration of the field by watching, discussing, and writing about films, and engaging in critical readings of major texts.

AFST 232: Gender Theory and Practice

This course explores the historical and contemporary dynamics of gender in African societies through theoretical and practical lenses. Africa is a continent characterized by immense diversity in human, political, and cultural geographies, all of which shape and influence the varied experiences of gender across its regions and communities. We will interrogate contestations around gender theory and practice, including critiques of Western feminist paradigms, the complexities of decolonizing African women's studies, and the heterogeneity of African women's experiences across space and time.

2021 Outstanding Teaching Award, College of Arts and Sciences

Anita Plummer interview on Africa Today

https://africanstudies.howard.edu/articles/anita-plummer-featured-pacifica-radios-africa-today

Book: Kenya's Engagement with China Discourse, Power, and Agency (MSU Press)

In recent decades, Kenya has witnessed profound changes in its economic, cultural, and environmental landscapes resulting from its interactions with China. University students are competing for scholarships to study in China, coastal artisanal fishers are increasingly worried about Chinese-owned trawlers depleting fish stocks, fishers on Lake Victoria are grappling with the impact of frozen tilapia from China, and unemployed youth are seeking a fair shot at working on one of Kenya’s multimillion-dollar Chinese-funded infrastructure projects. Anita Plummer’s Kenya’s Engagement with China investigates the tension between official Kenyan and Chinese state narratives and individual Kenyans’ reactions to China’s presence to provide insight into how everyday Kenyans exercise their political agency. The competing discourses Plummer uncovers in person, in the news, and online reveal how Kenyans use China to question local power structures, demand policy change, and articulate different visions for their country’s future. This critical text represents the next step in research on Sino-African relations.

“Kenya and China's Labour Relations: Infrastructural Development for Whom, by Whom?” Africa 89, no. 4 (2019): 680–95. doi:10.1017/S0001972019000858.

AbstractThe Kenyan government's long-term development strategy, Vision 2030, has emphasized infrastructural investments, which it believes will lead to sustained economic growth. The government has appealed to China to fund large-scale projects in the transport sector, and as a consequence of this, construction firms from China have emerged as significant employers in the country. While the Kenyan government contends with the ongoing burden of youth unemployment, it must also reconcile the ambiguities of China's role in Africa and its implications for the labour market. This article examines two Chinese-built infrastructure projects in Kenya and their intersection with several issues involving migrant labour and local rumours of Chinese prisoners, as well as the state's vision for industrialization and youth employment. Kenyans utilize both online and interpersonal channels of discourse to critique present-day employment practices in the transport sector, and it is argued that these counter-channels of discourse represent a particular articulation of knowledge used by Kenyans to construct meaning and interpret ambiguous situations. Through a theoretical analysis of rumour, this article illustrates how ordinary Kenyans are pooling their intellectual resources to understand Sino-Kenyan labour relations in the absence of transparency and participatory government processes in the infrastructure sector.

"China’s public relations in Kenya and the creation of a usable past." National Political Science Review, 20, no.2 (2019): 2-19.

AbstractSince 2006, bilateral trade and investment between Kenya and China has increased along with the presence of state and non-state actors from China. With China’s reemergence on the African continent comes a need to earn a positive reputation and image of the Chinese actors in Africa. Historically, China’s relationship with poor countries has played an important role in its grand strategy.  The Sino-Kenyan diplomatic arena is a medium by which China and East Africa’s historical contact has been carefully crafted and conveyed to both Kenyan and Chinese publics. History has been adapted to fit the ideals and vision of Chinese diplomats in order to protect and advance their own political and economic interests in Kenya. By examining cases temporally tied to the 14th century Zheng He voyages to Kenya’s coast, Afro-Asian solidarity movements, and Cold War relations between Kenya and China, this study explores the core values that are articulated in the interest-bound and culturally-bound information distributed by Chinese diplomats in Africa.Keywords: Kenya, China, public diplomacy, soft power, Cold War, Africa

“An inspiring climate victory in Kenya: Ahead of global climate talks, activists in Kenya successfully blocked a Chinese-backed coal plant at World Heritage Site.” Foreign Policy in Focus. Washington, DC: Institute for Policy Studies, (September 2019).

Full text: https://fpif.org/an-inspiring-climate-victory-in-kenya/