Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LH African Popular Culture
School	History and Cultures
Department	African Studies & Anthropology
Module Code	09 20437
Module Lead	Dr Juliet Gilbert
Level	Honours Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-22 hours Tutorial-2 hours Guided independent study-176 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	This module deals with the creative forms and critical commentaries of ordinary people – as opposed to the social and political elites – in Africa. Popular culture is one of the most dynamic and vital products of the continent; often overlooked by outsiders, it is usually found to be of intense local interest and significance. The module introduces students to a range of popular expressive forms that have appeared over the past century across Africa, such as fiction, theatre, music, film, fashion, and the media. It looks at art forms as part of everyday life, and shows how new popular genres emerge from specific sites and periods of social transformation. The module questions how people articulate their disappointments, nostalgia and aspirations in times of resistance to colonial and postcolonial dominations, media revolution, and intensifying global cultural flows, for instance. And also asks how popular culture can play a didactic role in instilling community values, pushing back against oppressive regimes, or imparting new visions of the world. Throughout the module, students are encouraged to think about the production, reception and circulation of African popular cultural forms.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Critically analyse the style, content and significance of a range of popular African genres Show understanding of how these popular genres are embedded within changing political and historical contexts
Assessment	20437-01 : 1500 word written assignment - Essay 1 : Coursework (40%) 20437-02 : 2000 word written assignment - Essay 2 : Coursework (60%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 1 x 1500 word written assignment (40%)
Other
Reading List