Fall 2026

Africa: an Introductory Survey

This introductory survey covers African society, culture, polity, and economy from prehistory to contemporary developments using multidisciplinary perspectives.

offering recorded4 credits
Recorded instructors · Fall 2026 James Sweet4.0/5Kwaku DanquahValentina Tetteh

Summary

1 / 7

Historical reviews of James Delehanty, Neil Kodesh: Workload includes heavy reading and essays or exams, but reviewers note these are manageable if students complete the assigned work.

Grade history

↗
average GPA
letter grades
A
AB
B
BC
C
D
F

All recorded terms · compare terms & instructors

Prerequisites

Course map

None

  • None
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 used by

“Used by” includes alternatives; linked courses may have other requirements. This is a best-effort interpretation; check the catalog requirements above.

Prerequisite text tree
  • None

Professors

Fall 2026

James Sweet

/5Adjusted rating
/5RMP difficulty
captured reviews
About this rating

Raw average: 4.26/5 from 31 quality ratings. The adjusted rating blends this with the UW review average (3.66/5), weighted as 20 additional ratings. Smaller samples stay closer to that average. Each captured review is counted once in the prior; this does not correct who chooses to leave a review.

RMP profile ↗ · All captured review dates; profile matched by name.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2020: 3.54 GPA, 76.5% A/AB (n=119 letter grades); Fall 2024: 3.45 GPA, 80.4% A/AB (n=102 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.27 GPA, 66.3% A/AB (n=86 letter grades).

Historical instructors & teaching patterns

James Sweet is the current instructor. Historical reviews for James Delehanty highlight his dynamic, comprehensive lectures and passion. Michael Schatzberg is described as pretentious with no posted slides, while Neil Kodesh offers clear, helpful instruction with boring lectures and manageable workloads.

JAMES DELEHANTY is recorded teaching in Fall 2006, Spring 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Fall 2010, Fall 2011, Fall 2012. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

JAMES SWEET is recorded teaching in Spring 2020, Fall 2024, Fall 2025. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

MICHAEL SCHATZBERG is recorded teaching in Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

NEIL KODESH is recorded teaching in Fall 2013, Fall 2014, Fall 2015, Fall 2016, Fall 2017, Fall 2018, Fall 2019, Fall 2020, Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023. Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Recorded history may be incomplete and does not establish a future schedule.

Calendar & sections

Fall 2026

Schedule loads here as you scroll.

SectionModeEnrolled / capacityWaitlist
LEC 001Classroom Instruction11 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction2 / 180
DIS 303Classroom Instruction1 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 305Classroom Instruction2 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction3 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction0 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction1 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction10 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 305Classroom Instruction2 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction3 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction2 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction2 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction5 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction1 / 170
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction1 / 160
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction1 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction1 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction1 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 303Classroom Instruction0 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction0 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction1 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction0 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction49 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction9 / 180
DIS 303Classroom Instruction6 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction3 / 180
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction2 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction6 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction18 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction4 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction16 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction4 / 180
DIS 303Classroom Instruction1 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 305Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction3 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction2 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction4 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction1 / 180
LEC 001Classroom Instruction7 / 1440
DIS 302Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 303Classroom Instruction1 / 200
DIS 304Classroom Instruction3 / 180
DIS 305Classroom Instruction0 / 180
DIS 308Classroom Instruction1 / 180
DIS 301Classroom Instruction1 / 170
DIS 307Classroom Instruction1 / 170
DIS 333Classroom Instruction0 / 00
DIS 306Classroom Instruction0 / 180

Times are Central. Select a meeting for details; export includes recorded dates for the selected sections. Enrollment reflects scan time.

Meeting source records
Download part 1

Student experience

the class

Historical reviews of James Delehanty, Neil Kodesh: Students describe the course as an engaging overview of Africa with manageable workloads under instructors like Delehanty and Kodesh, though some find lectures dry.

Recent recorded grades — Spring 2025: 3.78 GPA, 90.0% A/AB (n=90 letter grades); Fall 2025: 3.27 GPA, 66.3% A/AB (n=86 letter grades); Spring 2026: 3.66 GPA, 80.9% A/AB (n=94 letter grades).

difficulty & workload

Historical reviews of James Delehanty, Neil Kodesh: Workload includes heavy reading and essays or exams, but reviewers note these are manageable if students complete the assigned work.

Historical reviews of Martha Janey Myers, Micheal Schatzberg, Neil Kodesh: Students report frustration with inconsistent communication and lack of online materials, while praising helpful discussion sections and TAs.

Topics

  • Prehistory and ancient kingdoms
  • Colonial period
  • Contemporary developments
  • Modern nationalism, economic development, and social structure

Grades

Historical instructor

Fall 2026 · Projected

Before grades are released

– average GPA

Approximate 80% prediction interval

About this estimate

The course’s semester-average GPA, not an individual student’s grade. The center uses 5 same-season terms, weighted toward recent results.

The range uses the finite-sample 80th-percentile rank of absolute errors from earlier same-season forecasts. Each forecast uses only records from earlier terms. At least four forecasts are required; bounds are rounded outward and limited to 0–4. This is an empirical estimate: changing instructors or grading policies can reduce its coverage.

8 earlier forecasts · 0.12 GPA average error.

Grades over time

Through Fall 2026

More grade details Grade mix, volume & source data

Where this course fits relative to

Latest available grades · Spring 2026 · all course levels

GPA

Higher than % of other courses in this group.

Course GPAs · red marks this course’s range

letter grades

More recorded grades than % of other courses in this group.

Typical course in this group: letter grades.

About this comparison

1283 courses over the same term, each with at least 30 recorded letter grades. Cross-listed courses count once. GPA is not a measure of difficulty or teaching quality. The typical course is the median by recorded grade count; tied values are not counted as lower. Grade counts describe course scale, not unique students or typical section size.

Descriptions compare GPA with this group’s average: at least 0.20 higher or lower; otherwise close to average. Section size uses median recorded enrollment: small up to 30, mid-sized 31–99, large 100+. Lectures and discussion/lab sections are described separately.

Sources & history

UW–Madison

Catalog & offerings

Descriptions, prerequisites, and recorded course offerings.

Catalog observation history

Observations at scan time; dates do not imply when a catalog change took effect.

Download part 1
Selected offering source records
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277 · Fall 2026

Africa: An Introductory Survey

Recorded 2026-09-07
Raw records
[
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:104:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "104",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:106:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "106",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:156:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "156",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:416:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "416",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:448:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "448",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:778:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "778",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  },
  {
    "run_id": "20260907T155543-ce3781c4",
    "semester": "1272",
    "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00",
    "offering_id": "1272:900:017556",
    "course_id": "AFRICAN/AFROAMER/ANTHRO/GEOG/HISTORY/POLISCI/SOC 277",
    "course_uid": "course_8631503d4d0f27878d0e43c9",
    "term_id": "1272",
    "source_course_id": "017556",
    "source_subject_id": "900",
    "title": "Africa: An Introductory Survey",
    "credits_min": 4,
    "credits_max": 4,
    "typically_offered": "Fall, Spring"
  }
]
Rate My Professors

Student reviews

Original comments behind the course and instructor summaries.

Read original reviews
Download part 1
Madgrades

Grade history

Recorded grade distributions by term, section, and instructor.

Explore recorded grades
Dataset & model

Recorded 2026-09-07

Download the original dataset
Model outputs & technical records
nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4
LLM outputs across runs
Download part 1
Full model traces

Recorded model configuration, reasoning, and tool conversations.

Download part 1
Model & dataset provenance
{
  "model": "nvidia/Qwen3.6-35B-A3B-NVFP4",
  "model_revision": "1355db6a052410cfd62085d94b58866fd0f2c3c5",
  "task_version": "14",
  "output_id": "e2742379bbec534d4fbf068919b480ded460304d8f71d96c7a05083d42c6aa28",
  "requirements_status": "valid",
  "dataset_revision": "e243353dcb7d79b7247ced91d69443ef4c2a6349",
  "observed_at": "2026-09-07 15:55:43.033547+00:00"
}