Karim Sagna, Ph.D.

About me

I am a native of Senegal and teach courses in French language as well as classes in African and Caribbean Francophone literature and film.

I chose to come to Earlham because it’s a great, supportive working environment. My students are dedicated, motivated, enthusiastic and focused. They are dynamic students who demonstrate respect and a strong understanding of different cultures.

Education

• Ph.D., University of Arizona
• M.A., University of Kansas
• Maîtrise, Université de Dakar, Senegal

Professional memberships

• African Literature Association (ALA)
• Mande Studies Association (MANSA)
• American Association of Teachers of French (AATF)
• International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA)

Research projects

African oral literature with concentration on the Mandinka Griots art.

Off-campus study experiences

I taught Immigration Cinema in France. The course explores ways immigration has been shaping the sociocultural and political discourse in France. It also analyses the notions of otherness, stereotypes, cultural relativism, generational conflicts and integration.

Off-campus leadership

• Faculty leader, France, Fall 2017, 2015, 2013, 2011.
• Faculty leader, May Term, Ghana, Spring 2008.
• Faculty leader, semester program to Fort-de-France, Martinique, Spring 2007.
• Faculty leader of the Faculty Tour to Senegal, December 2005.
• Faculty leader, May Term, Dakar, Senegal, Spring 2004 and 2005.
• Faculty leader, May Term, Haïti, Spring 2003.

Scholarly interest

My scholarship concentrates on African literature in both western and African languages, African systems of writing and oral tradition. My current work focuses on Mandinka oral poetry from Senegal and The Gambia.

Published works

Publications

“Brikama Jali Kunda: Griot of Yesterday and Today.” Journal Vestnik of St. Petersburg University: Asian and African Studies, 2020, Vol. 12, issue 1, pp. 113-122.

“On dit le nom des morts pour sécher les larmes des vivants”, MANSA – Proceedings of the Meeting of the Mande Studies Association. (2017). 83-89.

“Art du Griot: entre tradition et modernité”, Les Annales de la Facultés des Lettres et Sciences Humaines, Université de Dakar (Sénégal), N0s 44-45 /A 2014-2015 : 127-136.

Afan Landing Camara: un poète Sénégambien”, Etudes africaine (Série Littéraire) Tome 1, Paris: L’Harmattan (2015): 161-172.

Book review of Frédérique Briard’s, Tiken Jah Fakoli, l’Afrique ne pleure plus, elle parle, www.sen24heures.com and www.xibar.net, Dakar -November 11, 2009.

“Un fina se raconte” Journal of the African Literature Association (JALA). Spring 2009: Pp. 222-228.

“Entretien avec Youssou Ndour” Literary Griot : International Journal of Black Expressive Cultural Studies. 2007 (23-30).

Book review of “Bulletin Association Internationale des Sociologues de Langue Française” “Identités et lien social en Tunisie.” The French Review, April 2007 (Vol. 80.5).

Book review of Michelle Lahana’s, “Youssou Ndour : la voix de la Médina” The French Review, October 2006 (Vol. 80. 1): 229-230.

“Video on DVD for Teaching Language and Culture: Le monde francophone à travers vidéo en DVD” (A collaborative work with faculty from Lawrence University and Ohio Wesleyan University) – Project funded by NITLE/ Mellon Grant. 2006.

Book review of Albert Kalonji Ditunga Mulopwe’s “Congo 1960. La sécession du Sud-Kasaï. La vérité du Mulopwe » The French Review, April 2006 (Vol. 79. 5): 1088-1089.

Book review of Oumar Sankharé’s “Youssou Ndour : artiste et artisan du développement” The French Review 2004 (Vol. 78. 2): 392.

Selected poems. Tropos. Volume 25 (Spring 1999): 103-105.

“Les Pas”: dilemme existentiel, esthétique, éthique, psychologique. Une problématique des images, de la syntaxe, du choix lexical et de la métrique.” Chimères. Vol. XXII, No 1 (Fall 1995): 47-50.

CONFERENCES

‘’Le griot mandingue , dépositaire de l’identité.’’ Université Alassane Ouattara, Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, March 5-8, 2020.

“Griot mandingue et développement socio-culturel”. Université Jean Lorougnon Guédé, Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire, April 9 – 11, 2019.

“L’amitié du griot et de la parole, Part 2”. International Society for Oral Literatures in Africa (ISOLA). University of Ibadan, Nigeria, July 10 – 13, 2018.

“L’amitié du griot et de la parole, Part 1”, African Literature Association annual conference (ALA), Washington, DC, May 24, 2018

“On dit le nom des morts pour sécher les larmes des vivants”, Mande Studies Association annual conference – International University of Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, August 4, 2017.

“Une kora décloisonnée et la puissance des mots dans la musique de Jaliba Kouyaté”, African Literature Association annual conference (ALA). Yale University, June 15, 2017.

“Reincarnation and Memory in e lieutenant de Kouta”, African Studies Association annual conference. Washington DC. December 2016.

“Art du Griot: entre tradition et modernité”, Kentucky Foreign Language Conference – University of Kentucky, Lexington. April 2015.                                                                                                                     

“Brikama Jali Kunda: Griot d’hier Griot d’aujourd’hui”, 10^th Conference of the International Society for the Oral Literatures of Africa (ISOLA) University of Cocody, Abidjan, Ivory Coast, June 12-15, 2014.

“Afan Landing Camara: un poète sénégambien.” University of The Gambia, Banjul, November 2012.

“Le marabout et le poète.” African Literature Annual Conference, Southern Methodist University, Dedman College, Dallas, Texas, April 2012.

“Investigation in Mandinka Oral Poetry”. African Literature Annual Conference. Athens, Ohio University, Avril 2011.

 “Memory and Identity. Perspectives in Oral Narratives”. Annual Mountain Interstate Foreign Language Conference, Radford University, October 2010.

 “Language/Culture and Literature in Half of a Yellow Sun (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). Earlham College, August 2010.

“La répétition dans l’imaginaire romanesque de M. M. Diabaté”. African Literature Annual Conference – University of Vermont, Burlington. April 2009.

“On dit les noms des morts pour sécher les larmes des vivants”. Kentucky Foreign Language Conference – University of Kentucky, Lexington. April 2008.

“Islam and Senegalese value systems”. Faith and Values Luncheon series, Earlham College, March 2008.

 “Islam in Contemporary West Africa: a case study of the Senegalese Sufi system”, Earlham College, August 2006

“Réflexion sur l’image du père dans l’oralité mandingue”. Kentucky Foreign Language Conference – University of Kentucky, Lexington. April 2006.

“Rites de la parole et modalités narratives dans L’Assemblée de Djinns”. American Association of Teachers of French – Québec, July 2005.

“The place of Black Studies in Language Departments.” Black Studies Conference, Revolutionary Adaptations in the Diaspora – Earlham College, April 2005.

“Paratexte et activité créatrice dans l’écriture de Massa Makan Diabaté : de la trilogie au récit initiatique”. Kentucky Foreign Language Conference – University of Kentucky, Lexington, April 2004.

“Perspectives on Diversity. Exploration of Mandinka verbal art through written texts, music and films”. Earlham College, August 2003.

“Etude du discours narratif dans Le boucher de Kouta.” American Association of Teachers of French – Fort-de-France, Martinique, July 2003.

“Orphée.Dafric, du mot à l’idée.” 24^th Annual Conference of the African Literature Association – University of Texas, Austin, April 1998.

“Ecriture autobiographique d’une princesse peuhle.” 23^rd Annual Conference of the African Literature Association – Michigan State University, East Lansing, April 1997.

“La temporalité dans la trilogie de Massa Makan Diabaté”. University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, April 1997.