Anthropology at the University of Yaounde I: A Historical Overview, 1962-2008

The teaching of anthropology at the University of Yaounde I dates back to the very birth of the university, even though, the word anthropology was not used explicitly. The rapid growth of the discipline was enhanced by the 1993/94 university reforms which offered a window of opportunity to the discipline to redefine itself and rehabilitate its image after decades of battering. From a few students in the 1980s, the discipline enrolls over a hundred students every year at Yaounde. The increased numbers and importance of the discipline led to the creation of separate department of anthropology with a strong faculty capable of teaching and awarding degrees at all levels.