Victor Oguejiofor Okafor

Department Head

620 Pray Harrold

734.487.3460

vokafor@emich.edu

Education

Ph.D. in African American Studies, Temple University, 1994

M.P.A. in Public Affairs, Indiana University in Bloomington, 1988

B.A. in Journalism (Major) & Business (Minor) Indiana University, 1986

Interests and Expertise

Professor Victor Oguejiofor Okafor is Head of the Department of African American Studies at Eastern Michigan University. Author of four books, Dr. Okafor has also contributed chapters to several anthologies, and published a variety of scholarly articles in such refereed journals as the Western Journal of Black Studies, the Journal of Black Studies, Africa Update, and the Griot. Dr. Okafor's writings have appeared in national magazines and newspapers. He has presented papers at dozens of professional conferences, conventions, and meetings of student and other groups.

A certified online course designer and instructor, Dr. Okafor has been designing and teaching online courses since 1999. Teaching both offline and online, his overall teaching experience embraces courses on or related to:History of Black Studies, Theories, Methods and Methodologies in Black Studies, Black Politics & Public Policy, African Civilization, Multiculturalism, and Afrocentricity/Afrocentrism

As a consultant on multicultural/diversity issues, Dr. Okafor serves as an expert court witness on cases related to African cultural questions and issues. For more than two decades, he has also served as a language interpreter on legal, corporate, medical and other matters requiring communications in Igbo language and translations between Igbo and English.

Before joining Eastern Michigan University in 1995, Dr. Okafor previously served as Director of African American Studies and Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University.

Publications

Books & book chapters

•  Okafor, Victor. (2010). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (3nd ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.

• Okafor, Victor. (Ed.). (2008). Nigeria’s Stumbling Democracy and its Implications for the Democratic Movement in Africa. Westport: Praeger Security International.

• Okafor, Victor. (2008). Malcolm X: An Appostle of Violence or an Advocate for Black Human Rights? In James L. Conyers, Jr. & A.P. Smallwood (Eds.), Malcolm X: A Historical Reader (pp. 215-226). Durban: Carolina Academic Press.

• Okafor, Victor. (2007). Towards an Africological Pedagogical Approach to African Civilization. In D. P. Aldridge & E. L. James (Eds.), Africana Studies: Philosophical Perspectives and Theoretical Paradigms (pp. 266-280). Washington: Washington State University Press.

• Okafor, Victor. (2006). A Roadmap for Understanding African Politics: Leadership and Political Integration in Nigeria. New York: Rutledge.

• Okafor, Victor. (2006). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (2nd ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.

• Okafor, V.O., & Adeleke, T. (Eds.). (2006). Studies in African American Leadership: Individuals, Movements, and Committees. New York: The Edwin Mellen Press.

• Okafor, Victor. (2004). Rebuilding Continental-Diaspora African Relations: An Examination of Path-Breaking Trends in Governmental, Pan-African and Educational Linkages. In T. Adeleke (Ed.), Critical Perspectives on Historical and Contemporary Issues About Africa and Black America (pp. 139-166).Lewiston: The Edwin Mellon Press.

• Okafor, Victor. (2002). Towards an Understanding of Africology. (1st ed.). Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt.

• Okafor, Victor. (1999). Africology and the Academy: Essential Texts, Concepts, Methods & New Controversies. In J. Conyers, Jr. & A. Barnett (Eds.), Africana History, Culture, and Social Policy (pp. 327-348). Lanham: International Scholars Publications.

• Okafor, Oguejiofor Victor. (1998). The Functional Implications of Afrocentrism. In J. Hamlet (Ed.), Afrocentric Visions: Studies in Culture and Communication. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

• Okafor, Oguejiofor Victor., & Tella, A. Sheriffden. (1998). Economic Development & the Prospects for Economic Security in Africa. In A. Oyebade & A. Alao (Eds.), Africa after the Cold War: The Changing Perspectives on Security (pp. 17-42). Trenton: Africa World Press.

• Okafor, Victor. (1997). Afrocentrism and A New World Order. In N. BaNIkongo (Ed.), Leading Essays in Afro-American Studies (pp. 667-684). Durham: Carolina Academic Press.

• In Progress-The Global Context of Pedagogy and Research in African American and African Studies

A sample of Okafor’s Journal & other publications

• Okafor, Victor. (2007, Fall). Nigeria’s Disputed Elections: Symptoms of a National Malaise. Africa Update, Vol. XIV, Issue 4. (http://www.ccsu.edu/Afstudy/upd14-4.html#National%20Malaise).

• Okafor, Victor. (Ed.).(2007, Fall).Nigerian Politics and Society. Africa Update, Vol. XIV, Issue 4. (http://www.ccsu.edu/Afstudy/upd14-4.html#National%20Malaise).

• Okafor, Victor. (2007, Summer). Nigeria’s Census Jinx: Is there a Way Out. Africa Update, XIV(3).(http://www.ccsu.edu/Afstudy/upd143.html#Nigeria%E2%80%99s_Census_Jinx:_Is_there_a_way_out).

• Okafor, Victor. (Ed.). (2007, January). Sustaining Black Studies: A Special Edition of the Journal of Black Studies, 37 (3).

• Okafor, Victor. (2007, January). Shortcomings in Wilson’s Chronicle of Higher EducationArticle on the State of Black Studies Programs. Journal of Black Studies, 37 (3), 335-347.

• Okafor, Victor. (2006, Spring). The Paris Club Deal: Reason to Celebrate? Africa Update, XIII (1). (http://www.ccsu.edu/afstudy/upd13-2.html#The_Paris_Club_Deal_).

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, Fall). Nigeria’s electoral challenge: what is to blame, the ballot box or political culture? Africa Update, XII (4). (http://www.ccsu.edu/Afstudy/upd12-4.html#toc).

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, October 28). The Paris Club Deal: Reason to celebrate or reason to cry for Nigeria? USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1284. (http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa).

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, September 19). Nigeria’s electoral challenge: what is to blame, the ballot box or the political culture? USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1160. (http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa).

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, September 11). Concerns about non-Ratification of the UN Convention against corruption: OBJ is right on the mark. USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1117. (http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa).

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, September 5). The Tragedy of Katrina and the Reflections of a one-time war refugee. USA/Africa Dialogue, No. 1072. (http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/Africa).

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, August 31). On the Rule of Law or the Lack of it in Nigeria. USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 1060. (http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/Africa).

• Okafor, Victor, et al. (2005, May 27). The Present and Future of Black Studies. The Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A47.

• Okafor, Victor. (2005, April 25). Shortcomings in Wilson’s Chronicle of Higher Education’s Article on the state of Black Studies programs. USA/Africa Dialogue, no. 643. (http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/Africa).

• Okafor, Victor. (1997, January). Towards An Africological Pedagogical Approach to African Civilization. Journal of Black Studies, 27, (3), 299-317.

• Okafor, Victor. (1996). Towards an Africological Pedagogical Approach to African Civilization. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 20, (3), 125-133.

• Okafor, Victor. (1996). the Place of Africalogy in the University Curriculum. Journal of Black Studies, 26 (6), 688-712.

• Okafor, Victor. (1996, spring). Towards an Understanding of the Afrocentric Conceptual Paradigm. The Griot, 15 (1), 44-54.

• Okafor, Victor. (1994, Winter). The Functional Implications of Afro centrism. Western Journal of Black Studies, 18 (4), 185-194.

• Okafor, Victor. (1993, December). An Afrocentric Critique of Appiah’s In My Father’s House. Journal of Black Studies, 24 No (2), 196-212.

• Okafor, Victor. (1993, October 21). AT&T and the Monkey Palaver. Black Issues in Higher Education.

• Okafor, Victor. (1993, September 23). Let it Be Informed Debate. Black Issues in Higher Education, pp. 9 & 39.s