Midway Through the Journey: Inside the Transformative African Diaspora Studies Course at the Broos Institute

Three weeks in, and the verdict is clear: the African Diaspora Studies Short Course at the Broos Institute is more than an academic experience; it’s an awakening. Led by Ghanaian scholar and decolonial thinker Dr. Adwoa Owusuaa Bobie, the course is sparking critical conversations, reshaping understandings of identity and history, and disrupting long-held Eurocentric frameworks.

For the diverse group of participants, from youth workers to therapists, from cultural educators to community organizers, the course has already proven groundbreaking. “It’s all about perspective!”

One participant summed it up concisely:

“The African Diaspora short course, led by Adwoa Owusuaa Bobie, is something I would not have wanted to miss! It’s given me so many new insights and made me realize just how much we don’t know unless we learn to read and research at this level.”

The source material, dense academic essays, historical texts, diasporic theories, is not merely assigned, but activated through critical reflection, open dialogue, and a unique teaching style rooted in Afrocentric epistemology.

Sessions begin with collective unpacking of texts, but quickly evolve into intellectual debates, personal reflections, and shared realizations about colonial legacies and identity politics.

“The way the content is handled, the energy, the discussions, all so carefully facilitated by Adwoa. It’s truly all about perspective.”

A safe space with academic depth

Participants are unanimous about the classroom atmosphere: it’s rigorous, but open. Academic, but never intimidating. And crucially; it is safe.

“We do this in a beautiful group, with knowledge and preparation. Everyone can engage, discuss, and feel comfortable.”

The feedback proves the participants are fully invested, critically engaged, and seeking deeper intellectual grounding.

One of the strongest themes emerging from the group is how quickly the knowledge from the course is translating into professional practice.

“The inspiration I’ve gained through this short course is pushing me to do deeper research. The information strengthens my roots in the multidimensional work I do around Trauma Release.”

Another participant working with families and at-risk youth shared:

“It’s been years since I gained so many new insights in such a short time. Understanding history, really understanding it, is so crucial. This course has shifted how I show up in my work with men, boys, and families.”

Whether in mental health, community work, or academia, participants report that they’re walking away not only with knowledge, but with tools for empowerment, resistance, and healing.

And this is just the beginning

The African Diaspora Studies short course is the first in a line-up of innovative programs the Broos Institute is preparing to launch. Upcoming courses include: Decolonial Journalism writing, Afro-Psychology and Diaspora Entrepreneurship & Business Leadership

Each builds on the same Afrocentric foundation: academic rigor, community-based reflection, and cultural reclamation.

About the Broos Institute

The Broos Institute for African Studies & Research champions education on identity, history, and liberation through an African-centered lens. Its mission: to shift the center of gravity in academic and social discourse.

With its recently launched two-year Master’s in African Culture and Development, beginning January 2026, the institute is establishing itself as a disruptive force in the landscape of global education.

Enrollments are now open:
https://broos.institute/programs/masters-and-mphil-program/

The African Diaspora Studies course is still in motion, but already it’s reshaping minds, systems, and futures.
As one participant said: 

“It’s been a long time since I learned so much, so fast.”