In 2006, the Center for African Studies embarked on a new direction of annual themes to guide its curricular, outreach, and extra-curricular programming. Each year, working with a subset of faculty and students, African Studies seeks to engage the broader core and affiliate faculty, students, the campus community, and the wider public in learning about Africa based on these annual themes.

The annual themes include:

• African Women Writers: 2009-2010
• Aid, Trade and Development in Africa: 2008 - 2009
• African Film: 2007 - 2008
• Saint in the City: Sufi Arts of Urban Senegal: 2006 - 2007