Bottom line Northwestern’s African Studies Transition Raises Questions About Scholars’ Futures

A program may survive on paper while losing its institutional center

Founded in 1948 by anthropologist Melville J. Herskovits, Northwestern’s Program of African Studies is described by the university as the oldest African Studies program in the United States. It was designed to connect scholars across anthropology, history, political science, sociology, literature, law, medicine, music, technology, and other fields rather than confine the study of Africa to a single department.

That structure gave the program a particular kind of influence. PAS was not simply a set of courses. It served as a meeting point for faculty, graduate students, undergraduates, visiting scholars, research partners, and institutions across Africa. The university’s own materials say the program supported interdisciplinary coursework, language training, study-abroad programs, research, conferences, public lectures, student funding, and graduate training.