Instructor: Elizabeth Thornberry
Henry House Room
thornberry@hws.edu
Office hours: Tu-Th, 10-12
And by appointment
History 284: Africa From Colonialism to Neocolonialism
In this class, we will explore the social and political changes that have transformed the African
continent in the twentieth century: urbanization, industrial labor, conversion to Christianity and
Islam, and—most importantly—political independence. We will ask questions such as
How and why did European states colonize almost all of Africa in a few decades? How
did the experience of colonialism transform African understandings of ethnicity, culture,
gender, and nation?
What were the limits of state power in colonial Africa?
Why have so many Africans converted to both Christianity and Islam in the past century?
Why have African cities grown so rapidly since 1950, with what effects?
How have African states and populations related to the rest of the world since decolonization?
In the process, we will work to develop the skills of critical reading, historical research, and
analytic writing.
Class Meetings: The class meets three times per week: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at
10:10 AM. We will use our time together for a mix of lecture, discussion, and workshop
activities.
In addition, participants in this class are required to attend the following events outside of class:
Wednesday, Feb 1, 8 pm: film, “Dance with the Devil”
Friday, February 10, 5 pm: Genocide Series/Presidents Forum speaker,
Romeo Dallaire
st
1 week of April (date TBA): Genocide Series speaker, Gretchen Steidl Wallace
[there may also be a film screening scheduled]
If you have a schedule conflict that makes it impossible for you to attend these events, please let
me know so that we can work out an alternate assignment.
Graded Assignments in this class are:
1. Map quiz (Monday, January 23). You will be responsible for identifying all of the
countries on the African continent as well as well as the list of cities available on
Blackboard.
2. Eight two-page critical book reviews. Due at the beginning of class on each of the days
marked “Discussion” in the class schedule. There are nine total “Discussion” days; you
may skip one critical book review of your choice or, if you choose to complete all nine, I
will drop your lowest grade. These assignments will not be accepted late under any
circumstances.
3. Midterm and final exam. The midterm exam will consist of terms to identify and short
answer questions. The final will include identifications and longer essays, and will be
cumulative, although weighted slightly towards the second half of the class.
Identification terms will be drawn from the lists handed out at each class period.
4. Final paper on a question of your choice related to the themes of the class. The graded
assignments for the final paper include the identification of an appropriate question,
annotated bibliography, first draft, and final draft.
Late assignments will be marked down one third of a grade (from B+ to B, for example) for each
day past the deadline. Extensions will only be discussed well in advance of the deadline.
All assignments should be
Grades will be calculated as follows:
Map quiz: 3%
Critical book reviews: 3% each, 24% total
Midterm Exam: 10%
Final Exam: 20%
Final Paper Assignment: 28%, allocated as follows:
Identification of question: 3%
Annotated bibliography: 5%
First draft: 7%
Final draft: 13%
Class Participation: 15%
Class Participation: Your grade for class participation includes attendance, evidence of having
fully prepared for the day’s class, and willingness to contribute your ideas to the class discussion.
If you find speaking up during discussions difficult, please come to my office hours as soon as
possible so that we can discuss strategies to help you work on this important skill.
Life happens, so everyone is credited with two free absences from class—no excuses necessary.
After that, you can expect your class participation grade to drop by 5 points for each absence. If
you miss more than six classes, your class participation grade will be zero. Exceptions to this
policy will be made only in the case of serious & documented extenuating circumstances.
Academic Integrity: Students are responsible for knowing and abiding by the HWS Principle
of Academic Integrity (http://www.hws.edu/academics/advising/policies.aspx). If you have any
questions about what kind of help is permitted for any assignment in this class, please ask and I
will be happy to clarify. Any violation of academic integrity will result in a minimum penalty of
zero points for the assignment in questions and may include the receipt of an F grade for the
entire course and reporting of the infraction to the Committee on Standards.
Communication: I am best reached by email. During the week, I try to respond to all emails
within 24 hours (weekends may take longer). If you haven’t heard back from me by then, please
assume that I have somehow missed your email and resend it.
Required Texts
(Available in the campus bookstore; I’ve included the ISBN if you would prefer to order your
books from an online source. Most are available more cheaply used.)
Amadou Hampete Ba, The Fortunes of Wangrin (978-0253212269)
Ngugi wa Thiongo, The River Between (978-0435905484)
Chinua Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah (978-0385260459)
Christopher Abani, Graceland (978-0312425289)
Frederick Cooper, Africa since 1940: The Past of the Present (978-0521776004)
Mahmood Mamdani, Citizen and Subject (978-0691027937
Donald Donham, Marxist Modern (978-0520213296)
Rene Lemarchand, The Dynamics of Violence in Central Africa (978-0812220902)
Elias Mandala, The End of Chidyerano: A History of Food & Everyday Life (978-0325070209)
Elizabeth Schmidt, Mobilizing the Masses: Gender, Ethnicity, and Class in the Nationalist
Movement in Guinea, 1939-1958 (978-0325070308)
Schedule of Class Meetings (subject to change – check the Blackboard version for updates) Monday
Wednesday
Friday
Week 1
Introduction – A Century A Whirlwind Tour of
Jan 16
of Change
Africa
Week 2
Colonialism: What
Colonialism: How and
Colonial Governance
Jan 23
Happened?
Why Did European
[“Practice Discussion” of
Map Quiz
Powers Colonize?
Hebst article]
Week 3
Discussion: Citizen and Workshop: Frederick
Slavery & “Free” Labour
Jan 30
Subject
Lugard and Indirect Rule under Colonialism
Week 4
Colonialism &
Discussion: The River
Colonial Rwanda
Feb 6
Religion I: Christianity Between
[Romeo Dallaire event
tonight]
Week 5
Colonialism &
Discussion: The Fortunes The Economics of
Feb 13
Religion II: Islam
of Wangrin
Colonialism
Week 6
Feb 20
Week 7
Feb 27
Week 8
March 5
Week 9
March 12
Week 10
March 26
Africa in the World,
1914-1945
Nationalism
Midterm Exam
Developmental
Colonialism, 1945-1960
Workshop: Nationalism
and Pan-Africanism
Decolonization I: Why?
Postcolonial States I:
Postcolonial States II:
Developmental Dreams Coups and Single-Party
States
SPRING BREAK
SPRING BREAK
Week 11
April 2
Famine and Food
Insecurity
Topic Due
Structural Adjustment
& Economic Decline
Week 12
April 9
Week 13
April 16
African Politics after
the Cold War
Conflicts in the Great
Lakes
Week 14
April 23
Week 15
April 30
HIV/AIDS
Africa in the 21st
Century
Final paper due
EXAM: 8:30 AM
Discussion: The End of
Chidyerano
Gender, Families and
Households
Discussion: Mobilizing
the Masses
Decolonization II: Wars
in the North and South
Discussion: Marxist
Modern
SPRING BREAK
Interactive Research
Session
Urbanization and New
African Cultures
Southern Africa from
1975-2000
Bibliography Due
Discussion:Anthills of the No Class
Savannah
Sierra Leone, Liberia, and No Class: First drafts
the ICC
returned in conferences
First Drafts Due
Discussion: Graceland
No Class
READING DAYS
READING DAYS
Week 16
May 7
For Friday (Jan 20), read “How to Write About Africa” (http://www.granta.com/Archive/92/How-­‐to-­‐Write-­‐about-­‐Africa/Page-­‐1) The reading schedule for the rest of the course will be posted on Blackboard.