Programme/Approved Electives for 2022/23
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Can a continent possess a history or a people? To what extent are ideas of Africa and Africans still tied to race and other colonial legacies? To understand the ways we imagine Africa today, the module examines the cultural, political and economic dialogues which took place regarding Africa c.1945 to the present. The module uses the latest scholarship and, in challenging a hitherto dominant national historiography, emphasises the importance of both the local (e.g. diverse subaltern experiences in Ghana, Kenya, Algeria, South Africa or Nigeria) and the global (e.g. decolonisation, socialism, postcolonialism and pan-Africanism), in shaping Africa. Perhaps most controversially, the module asks: do you have to be black to be African? And is Africa, as The Economist wrote, a 'hopeless continent', inherently violent, poor and diseased? While the main focus will be on English-language primary sources and former British colonies, there will also be a chance to compare different colonial legacies within Africa. This will enable students to critically analyse a variety of historiographical approaches to African history and introduce them to a range of primary source materials which have been utilised by historians to interpret key events and processes. For example, students will have a chance to read the works of: Leopold Senghor, Kwame Nkrumah, Frantz Fanon, Steven Biko, Nelson Mandela, Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Julius Nyerere, Walter Rodney, George Padmore, and recent works by people like C. N. Adichie and Thabo Mbeki. Films and other media formats will also be incorporated into the module's analysis, as will official documents.
Aims
How has Africa become the continent it is today? Who creates the images of Africa we see? To what extent are ideas of Africa and Africans still tied to colonialism? What about China¿s more recent involvement? This module will introduce you to the history of Africa and its diaspora since 1945, examining the forces of decolonisation, nationhood, religion, the Cold War and other factors shaping Africa. We will explore a wide range of primary sources, including traditional sources about politics and economics, as well as a range of films, music, poetry and novels. Seminars will encourage students to use specific case studies to explore how ideas of what it means to be `African¿ have developed historically in Africa itself and around the world. Through understanding these diverse histories, we can also begin to ask: what exactly is `African¿ about African history?
Intended Learning Outcomes
recognise and explain the changing ways in which people perceived Africa and Africans, both inside and outside the continent from c.1945 to the present, engaging critically with the formation of African history and identity: 1,2relate case studies and examples of historical change, especially regarding British and French decolonisation and post-colonialism, to broader thematic issues in the historiography of colonial Africa and post-colonialism: 1,2evaluate and critically assess a range of primary sources and apply them appropriately within historical analysis: 1distinguish between and critically evaluate different academic interpretations and explanations for the events under examination, including from disciplines other than history: 1,2develop the capacity for independent thought and communicate such thoughts clearly and effectively through class discussion and through both verbal and written assessment: 1,2
12 x two-hour seminars12 x one-hour workshops48 hours seminar preparation33 hours researching and writing for the source commentary33 hours preparation for essay
Description of Module Assessment
1: Commentary weighted 50%Source AnalysisStudents will be expected to write a commentary about a primary source chosen from the Module Handbook, or agreed with the module convener in advance. Total length: 1500 words.
2: Essay weighted 50%EssayChoose one essay question of c.1500 words from a list provided. Each question requires students to draw on at least two of the weekly topics to compose a satisfactory answer.