Returning Home: Race, Identity & the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in Ghana
| Course(s): |
AFC 479, 592 |
| Credits: |
Three (3) |
| Eligibility: |
Open to all EMU and guest students in good academic standing. Individuals not currently attending college are also encouraged to apply. Our advisors will reach out and discuss the options for participating in the program.
Must be at least 18 years old at the time of travel. |
This program will explore questions of race, identity and imagined homelands. Due to the horrors of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade, individuals of African descent were disconnected from the African continent. Although several centuries have passed, some African Americans still envision and refer to Africa as their homeland. In this course, students will learn about the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and its impact on individuals within the African diaspora. We will also explore how African Americans attempted to forge relationships and connections to their ancestral homeland by exploring cultural and political movements such as Afrocentricity and Pan-Africanism. Finally, we will examine African Americans return back to Africa by exploring the rise of African American tourism and repatriate to Ghana. We will investigate the growing slave tourism sector in Ghana and the impact of slave tourism on Ghanaian politics and culture.
Program Highlights
- Through a guided tour you will explore historical locations in Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi.
- See the Assin Manso Slave River which served as the place where slaves had their last bath on African soil before being marched down to the slave castles of Elmina and Cape Coast along the coast.
- Visit famous sites such as Usher Fort, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle and Kakum National Park.
- Discover the many museums of Ghana including the Ghana National Museum, Manhyia Palace Museum and Prempeh II Museum.
Vaccine Requirement
Students are required to prove Yellow Fever vaccination upon arrival. Vaccination should be received ten days prior to travel, minimally. Please contact your health care provider for vaccine and cost information. This stipulation is a Ghana government requirement to enter the country.
Instructor Information
Dr. Caralee Jones-Obeng is an Assistant Professor of Africology and African American Studies here at Eastern Michigan University. Her scholarly interests include race, ethnicity, immigration, identity and the African diaspora. Her travels and research in Ghana have inspired this program. To learn more about the program itself, please reach out to Dr. Jones-Obeng at cjonesob@emich.edu.
Financial Aid and Scholarships
Financial aid and many EMU scholarships may be applied to the tuition and fees for this approved program. Visit the Office of Financial Aid for more information on how to use your financial aid and scholarships to help cover the costs of studying abroad. Find information on national and EMU scholarships specifically for students that wish to study abroad at emich.edu/abroad/financial aid/scholarships.