Alison Okuda | Worcester State University

Bio

Dr. Alison Okuda joined Worcester State University in 2017 as an Assistant Professor of History specializing in Africa, African Diaspora, and World History. Her research on Ghanaian and Caribbean diasporas, respectability politics, and popular music has been published in Ghana Studies and African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal. Her book project, “Pan-African Resonance: Culture, Migration, and Belonging,” examines the popular expression of pan-Africanism through musical exchange, family (re)making, and community organizing in London and Accra.

Education

2016

New York University

History

Ph.D.

2006

University of California, Irvine

History

B.A.

Publications

"Pan-African Resonance: Culture, Migration, and Belonging in London and Accra," book manuscript, under review

“New Accra in New England: A History of Migration and Ghanaian Foodways in Worcester,” article in progress

“Black Power, Raw Soul, and Race in Ghana,” African Studies Review (2023): 1-25.

“Performing Ghana: The Politics of Being a Black Woman on the Stage, 1966-1979.” African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal 12, no. 1 (2019): 32-48.

“Building ‘A Home Away from Home:’ Musical Spaces and Diasporic ‘Feedback’ from London to Accra, 1950s-1980s.” Ghana Studies 20 (2017): 20-44.

World History through Film

This course introduces students to several important themes in world history through the medium of film. It will focus on issues of race, class, and gender in different countries during the 20th century up to the present. In addition, it will examine related issues such as colonialism, migration, diaspora, urbanization, family, food culture, music and dance, religion, resistance, genocide, and others. Students will learn how to use film as a historical source, as a product of the place and period in which it was created. It counts for the 100-level Global/Thematic category in the History major. GP, DIV

African History Before 1800

An introduction to the history of societies and cultures of Africa up to 1800. We will consider such topics as Nubian queens in Egypt, the diffusion of Bantu languages, transcontinental trade networks, the spread of Islam and Christianity, the rise of West African empires, and the transatlantic slave trade. Counts for Africa/Latin America in the History major. GP, TLC, DAC, DIV

African History Since 1800

An introduction to the history of groups and countries within Africa from 1800 to the early 21st century. Like the rest of the world, Africa was also changing rapidly during these centuries. Topics include the extraction of wealth, European colonial rule, pan-Africanism, independence and development during the Cold War, and Africa today. Counts for Africa/Latin America in the History major. GP, TLC, DAC

Introduction to African Diaspora History

Students will learn about the development of the African diaspora and how it has shaped the world since antiquity. We will consider the movements, experiences, and exploits of ordinary people and celebrated figures of African descent through such topics as imperial expansion; slavery, resistance, and freedom; nationalism and the civil rights movement; and current global issues. Counts for Global/Thematic/Methodological in the History major. GP, TLC, DAC

African Immigration in the 20th Century

Why do we commonly hear about a "brain drain" in African countries or human rights violations of refugees entering Europe? This course examines how these current global issues developed through the history of immigration from the African continent to North America and Europe during the 20th century. Counts for Global/Thematic/Methodological in the History major. GP, TLC, DAC

Popular Music and Performance in Modern Africa

This course looks at changes in popular music in Africa since the late 19th century. Instead of studying the practice of traditional or art music in Africa, students will gain a stronger understanding of the significance of global connections between Africa and other parts of the world by examining the performance of popular music in a variety of spaces, including streets, nightclubs, and ceremonies. Counts for Africa/Latin America in the History major. CA, TLC, DAC