AAS 2760: Empowered Women of Africa

Return to UVA Advance home.

Instructor: Anne Rotich, Assistant Professor 

Days of the Week: MTWRF

Course Times: 2:00 - 4:15 pm

Course Description: OPEN ONLY TO UVA ADVANCE PARTICIPANTS. This course will examine the experiences and inspiring stories of empowered women from across eastern and southern Africa regions. We examine how women have played a central and critical role in solving problems in their communities, both before and after colonialism. Some of the questions we discuss are: How do these women negotiate gender constraints, and even violence, in order to initiate change in their communities?  How do they challenge traditions to contribute to political and civic engagement? This course through an analysis of texts, films, short stories, and interactions with African women in the community, will give students a better understanding of how cultures, institutions, national and political trends, continue to shape African women’s experiences.

Students also enroll in an additional 1000- or 2000-level course of their choice. UVA Advance staff advise students and oversee course selection.

Anne Rotich Image

Anne Jebet Rotich has taught Kiswahili and African cultures and literature for more than two decades at the university level in the US and in Kenya.  Anne’s research interests range across the field of African Studies, Education in Africa and in the US, Social Studies and Global Education.  Her published work examines a broad spectrum of issues including the analysis of African literary works and the teaching about Africa in the US.