Unit name | The Creation of Modern Africa (Level C Special Topic) |
---|---|
Unit code | HIST14010 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
Unit director | Dr. Rob Skinner |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
None |
School/department | Department of History (Historical Studies) |
Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
This course introduces some of the major themes in modern African history south of the Sahara. Conceptual and methodological questions have been vigorously debated by historians of Africa, challenging whether thematic, regional or chronological approaches are most appropriate to the history of the continent. The unit will tackle such issues in order to establish a broader understanding of the range and complexity of African history. It is structured around a number of themes that at the same time reflect the chronology of modern Africa: starting with the dramatic impact of late-nineteenth century imperial expansion, we will then examine the contours of colonial power, its influence on African economic and social life, on gender roles and “ethnic” identities, and the move towards decolonisation and independence in the years following WWII.
Aims:
By the end of the unit students should have:
10 x 2 hour seminars.
1 x 2 hour summative exam (100%).
Frederick Cooper, Africa since 1940 (2002)
John Iliffe, The Africans (1995)
Bill Freund, The Making of Contemporary Africa (1998)
P. Curtin, et al., African History (1978)
Basil Davidson, Modern Africa (1994)
R.O. Collins (ed), Historical Problems of Imperial Africa (1996)
See also the UNESCO General History of Africa
Novels:
Chinua Achebe, Things Fall Apart (1958); Arrow of God (1964); A Man of the People (1966)
Sembene Ousmane, God’s Bits of Wood (1962)