Africa Since 1800 (HIST*3910)

Code and section: HIST*3910*01

Term: Winter 2018

Instructor: Femi Kolapo

Details

Course Synopsis:

The course will introduce students to the history of modern Africa from c.1800. We will
explore major themes in Africa’s history since the 19th century to the present. It will be
introductory and will involve select topics on the economic, political and social-cultural
arrangements and policies and local and global interrelationships that have structured
Africans' experience of colonialism, independence, and post-independence.

By the end of the course, students will be able to engage with the role of colonialism and
anti-colonial and nationalist struggles in the emergence of modern Africa.
Students would be familiar with the nature and causes of the continuing struggle for
development and freedom after independence. Students will also be able to relevantly apply
primary source evidence in historical interpretation and reconstructions of the history of
modern Africa and be able to appreciate the different perspectives that inform the
interpretation of historical texts and evidence on Africa’s modern history.

Methods of Evaluation and Weights:

Essay 25%
Midterm 25%
Class participation 10%
Final Exam 40%

Texts and/or Resources Required:

Richard Reid, A History of Modern Africa: 1800 to the Present 2nd Edition. (Wiley-
Blackwell, 2012)

*Please note: This is a preliminary web course description only. The department reserves the
right to change without notice any information in this description. The final, binding course
outline will be distributed in the first class of the semester.