African Studies can be more broadly associated with the phenomenon of "area studies." After World War II, there emerged an increasing academic interest in non-Western regions. Africa, with many of its nations newly independent from European colonial rule, was certainly one of the principle areas of focus.
From the 1960s onward, post-modernism and critical theory became important intellectual currents. They confronted conventional western ideas of history and the "modern" world. In this sense, subjects such as colonialism in Africa and elsewhere became highly criticized for their cultural oppression of colonized peoples. African Studies, represents, at least in some ways, the continued academic critique of colonialism and the re-invigoration of African indigenous identities.
African Studies programs can now be found in many humanities departments at the college and university level. They incorporate approaches from many humanities disciplines, such as literature, history, anthropology, media studies and language. Often, institutions will allow an African Studies degree to be conferred jointly with a degree from another academic department.