Ghana: History and Cultures of the African Diaspora

Beginning Spring 2010, this program will be titled:

Ghana: Origins of African Identity


Program Overview


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In the Ghana: History and Cultures of the African Diaspora study abroad program students examine the impact of forced migration on Ghana and Western Africa from both historical and contemporary perspectives.  Through interdisciplinary coursework, complementary educational excursions, primary field research, and deep cultural immersion in both Ghana and neighboring Benin, students learn about the history and long-standing effects of the trans-Atlantic slave trade.  Dynamic engagement with regional and local experts, as well as meaningful homestays in urban areas and indigenous settlements, grants students exceptional insight into the impact specific historical circumstances can have on a region's contemporary conditions, including population and industry.

SIT's extensive in-country networks are comprised of exceptionally diverse partners enabling students to learn about the return of people to the region from multiple lenses.  Direct engagement with Ghanaian universities, archaeological societies, village elders, and community leaders provides students a multifaceted understanding of the African Diaspora.  Homestays with host families in Cape Coast and Komenda offer students unique access to the local culture while adding additional context and meaning to language and thematic coursework.

Vibrant Culture, Troubled History
Ghana, a country rich in natural resources, is characterized by its complex history.  In 1957, Ghana was the first African nation to achieve independence from colonial powers after winning independence from the United Kingdom.  Tragically, Ghana also served as the departure point for a vast number of enslaved Africans shipped to the "new" world.  The slave castles lining the Ghanaian coast serve as contemporary reminders of the historical atrocities of enslavement and the forced migration which transpired on the country's shore.  Today, Ghanaian society continues to wrestle with the long-reaching effects of the slave trade. 

The Ghana: History and Cultures of the African Diaspora study abroad program is based in Cape Coast, a vibrant coastal community and the country's education capital.  It is also the site where enslaved populations were held and traded during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.  Through seminars at the University of Cape Coast, meetings with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and interactions with local residents, students explore the cultural impact of the slave trade's violent history and learn how both forced and voluntary migration have created Ghanaian and West African Diaspora communities throughout the world.

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