Africa and the Slave Trades (HIST*4100)

Code and section: HIST*4100*01

Term: Fall 2024

Details

Course Synopsis:

This course will run as a series of seminars and discussions that examine the nature of slavery and slave trade in Africa before the 19th century. Using select secondary and primary sources, the course will explore key topics and debates in the history and historiography of slavery, the slave trades, and abolition in Africa up until the 19th century. Was slavery and slave trade in Africa of some essential characteristics similar or different from the famous Atlantic slavery? What were the origins of slavery in Africa? How did Islam and Christianity, gender, firearms, and state formation processes, and 19th century European imperialist intrusion impact on and were impacted by slavery and slave trades in Africa before and up to the 19th century. These and other topics will be the subject of our seminar discussions during the semester.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of this course students should be able to:

• identify and explain the major topics and controversies that constitute the study of the history of slavery and the slave trades in Africa.
• identify key primary and secondary sources relevant to the study of slavery and the slave trades in Africa
• assess the strengths and weaknesses of principal source evidence for the study of slavery and the slave trades in Africa 
• use relevant primary source evidence on slavery in Africa in historiographical analysis.
• organize scholarly evidence and effectively present views orally as well as in writing in formal setting and informal discussions (via the seminar presentations, discussions, and a final exam).
• fulfil the role of professional historians by preparing for and writing a final history project requiring a successful search for, selection, and interpretation of relevant primary and secondary source evidence.

Prerequisites: 

• 10.00 credits including 1.00 credits in History at the 3000 level

Evaluation: 

• 50% - Seminar presentation (25%) & preparation / class discussion (25%)    
• 30% - Final project/essay based on select primary sources.
• 20% - Final Exam                 

Required Texts: 

• Links to assigned reading materials will be on Course Reserve, Course Link, or will otherwise be freely available via OMNI or Google search.

*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.

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