In collaboration with Rhodes and Centre, Sewanee is thrilled to offer Ghana on the World Stage, which examines the historical, cultural, and political intersections between Ghana, Memphis, and the world. 

 

Quick Facts

Where: Memphis, Tennessee (two weeks) and Accra, Ghana (13 weeks)

When: Monday, July 29, 2024 - Friday, November 1, 2024

What: Studying in Accra will provide students with a life changing opportunity to live and study in a remarkable, historic city where coursework, home stays, and internships immerse them in the vibrant and awe-inspiring culture of Ghana. The program focuses on the complex intersections of the past and present, modern Ghana and the African diaspora.  We answer questions such as: Where are the connections between Ghana and the U.S.? How do both countries influence each other's music, food, innovation, and fashion? When did the connections in our politics and economics have their historical beginnings? Through the semester students will discover the historic and contemporary ties connecting western African to the U.S. diaspora, examining topics ranging from the west African slave trade to the Pan-African movement and beyond. Students from three institutions -- Rhodes, Centre, and Sewanee -- will take part in this unique liberal arts collaboration examining these intriguing and important questions. 

Cost: Students pay Sewanee comprehensive tuition and fees and will continue to receive Sewanee aid and scholarships during the Ghana on the World Stage program. 

Trip Leader: Professor Abou-Bakar Mamah, Rhodes College 

Contact for Additional Information: global@sewanee.edu 

How to apply: Set up an account and apply through Via.

Program Overview

Academics

The following courses are required for all students on the Ghana Program:

  • HIST 230 — Ghana and West Africa’s Pasts in the Black Atlantic (G7) (4 credits) - taught by Kofi Baku
    This course provides an introduction to slavery in Ghana and West Africa and the Atlantic slave trade out of West Africa. The course combines lectures, class discussions, documentaries, and field trips to sites of enslavement, slave markets and resistance to slavery as well as student analysis of contemporary sources. The course is required for all students attending the Ghana on the World Stage program. Prerequisite: Open only to students admitted to the Ghana on the World Stage program. Program attributes: Pre-1700 History (HIPR), Non-European/Non U.S. History (HINW) General Education attribute: G7

  • African Youth, Professional Soccer, and Conflicting Goals: Ghanaians’ Experiences on the World Stage (4 credits) - taught by Abou Bakar-Mamah  Course is currently under review. Tentative description: Recent decades have seen an exodus of African youth lured by dreams of greener pastures abroad, a phenomenon with stark repercussions for the African economy. Though the sport of soccer might seem unrelated to this exodus, movement across soccer fields often leads to movement across oceans as players pursue their goals of achieving greater things both on and off the soccer field. Praised by reviewers as charming, vivid, poetic, and poignant, The Belly of the Atlantic (2006), by Senegalese novelist Fatou Diome, tells the story of young soccer enthusiast Madicke and his sister Salie as their hopes and ambitions clash with the realities of immigrant life. In this course, we will look at the dream of playing soccer in European leagues as a driving force behind migration, one that carries substantial risks for African youth in uncharted territory. We will approach the material from an African perspective generally and from a Ghanaian perspective more particularly. 

In addition to the above courses, students may choose two of the following three courses. 

  • INGS 325 — Globalization and the Challenges of Development in Ghana (G4) (4 credits) - taught by Akosua Darkwah
    Globalization and the Challenges of Development in Ghana explores the multifaceted ways in which globalization manifests itself around the world and examines globalization's complex impacts on Ghanaian citizens and on society as a whole. Prerequisite: Open only to students admitted to the Ghana on the World Stage program. Program attributes: IGAF (IGS - Africa) or  ITGC (IGS – Global Capitalism); PODV (Politics - Development and Political Economy concentration), POGI (Politics - Global Institutions and Policies concentration). General Education attribute: G4
  • MUSC 223 — The Emergence of "Highlife:" Ghanaian Popular Music (4 credits) 
    Highlife music has emerged as one of the most popular world music genres from West Africa in the last century due to the influence of indigenous Ghanaian music heritage juxtaposed with ideas borrowed from the West. This course analyzes the musical varieties within the highlife genre and explores the numerous factors rooted in ethnicity, gender, identity, Pan-Africanism, and generational class relations that have contributed to contemporary understandings of Ghanaian popular music. Prerequisite: Only open to students admitted to the Ghana on the World Stage program.
  • Internship Placement and Seminar (4 credits) - available in various academic disciplines
Housing

Students will stay in groups of two or three with local families in homestay accommodations. These accommodations provide meals, laundry, and wifi.  

field trips and excursions

Several field trips and excursions are offered both in Accra and throughout four different regions of Ghana. 

Student Support

Comprehensive student support is offered through the Aya Centre. The Aya Centre is a "single-purpose, multi-service organization designed to enhance the learning experience and cultural awareness of persons traveling to Ghana." They provide the following support for our students: 

  • Airport pickup
  • On-site orientation upon arrival in Ghana
  • Cultural events
  • In-country Excursions
  • Farewell dinner
  • 24/7 Emergency support
  • Crisis-management preparedness
  • Fully trained on-site local staff
  • Classroom space
  • Internship and service-learning placements
  • Homestays
dates
  • 29 July – 10 August  (Memphis, TN) 
  • 10 August (Depart for Ghana)
  • 11 August (Students arrive in Accra, Ghana) 
  • 1 November (Final day of program) 

 

 The Ghana on the world Stage Experience in students' own words
  • I really enjoyed my community work in Nima. My internship placement accepted me with open arms and showed other classmates and me around the community. The trips to the slave sites also put the reality of the slave trade into perspective. 
  • I feel as if I have become an effective communicator which are skills I can take with me everywhere in the world. I also feel as if I have a better understanding of the world as a whole due to the unique cultural and historical roots that Ghana has. 
  • I really loved working with the Aya Centre staff and going on excursions. There were so many amazing moments and memories, and the trip to the Volta Region was the best in my opinion
  • The Homestay family was the most impactful factor that helped me succeed in this semester! I felt like I developed such a positive relationship with my auntie. She was an excellent support. Having a home to live in and cook meals and share experiences was the highlight of my semester