founded in 1970, the department of african and african-american studies (aaas) provides an interdisciplinary space at the university of kansas for studying historical and contemporary relationships among african and african-descended people. as a community of scholars and teachers, aaas offers learning experiences for students to enrich their knowledge of african people on the continent, as well as people of african descent in the americas. the department's academic wings span the humanities, the social sciences, and some professional fields. the department’s areas of emphasis include art and culture; religion and rhetoric; families, gender and sexuality; and political economy.