Why minor in Africana Studies?
The purpose of a minor in Africana Studies is to graduate students with a broad and deep understanding of the contributions that people of African descent have made to our world. A minor in Africana Studies will contribute to your understanding of the diversity of the human experience.
Catholic social teaching has repeatedly spoken out in support of the dignity of each human person. It has also emphasized the importance of the common good and of community, focused on the principle of solidarity, highlighted an emphasis on God’s preferential concern for the poor and powerless, lifted up the rights of working persons, urged us toward solidarity with all peoples of the earth and reminded us of the importance of stewardship for the goods of creation and one another. The Africana Studies program complements the mission of SJU by calling students to a deeper understanding of truth, justice, and the common good. This program enhances the solidarity among students by providing them with a deeper understanding and appreciation for each other's respective cultures and histories.
Saint Joseph’s is a community that emphasizes moral and intellectual development. We stress the importance of being “men and women for others.” Being for others requires a deepening knowledge of self and others. The Africana Studies Program is one among many at SJU that gives the students an opportunity to challenge their assumptions about others and to discover their own process of identity-formation in relation to others. Like SJU in general, the purpose of the program is to enhance critical dialogue, create and encourage solidarity, and ultimately to make a contribution to transforming a world permeated with group conflict and struggle into a world of peace, community, brotherhood, and sisterhood.
In addition to being a university that stresses social justice, Saint Joseph’s produces educators who will be teaching diverse populations in and beyond Philadelphia. Successful teachers of African American students are those who have knowledge of and an appreciation for their students' cultural heritage, social struggles, and language. The Africana Studies minor will help future teachers acquire this knowledge.
