Welcome to African Studies--2016
Jambo < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK0wPpLryc4&feature=related >
Hello = Jambo
How are you? = Habari gani
Very fine = Nzuri sana
Thank you very much = Asante sana
You're welcome = Karibu
helpful site as you work on your country projects
< http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/ssrg/africa/guide.html>
African Studies focuses on the place of Africa, especially the Sub-Sahara,
in world history.
A theme of the course stresses
that Africans were and are players in their own story,
as well as victims
in two of history's epic tragedies, the Atlantic slave trade and Imperialism.
A goal of
the class is to enhance students' understanding of the rich diversity of
Africa's history
and its multi-layered, multi-faceted cultures. An
important component of the course
in 2016 includes an examination of art and ritual in African culture.
The textbook is Gilbert, Erik and Jonathan Reynolds. Africa in World History (1st, 2nd or 3d edition);
As well,
readings will be
drawn from a variety of materials and incorporated into the lecture/discussion:
including fiction, non-fiction, primary,
secondary, and electronic sources;
seminars; outside speakers;
oral presentations; video/movie clips.
The students will read--time permitting--short stories by Nadine Gordimer.
Guest speakers will participate as available and appropriate.
Students will work throughout the semester on a research project.
Details TBA
The content of African Studies will more or less follow the outline below:
I. Here's Africa
A. Introduction: myths and realities (the "savage" continent)
B. Geography and Climate
C. The Demographic Component: Who's Who? Bantu Migration
II. African Art and African Rituals
A. African Art
B. African Rituals--birth, naming, coming of age, courtship/marriage, other
C. African influences on contemporary culture
[ African networks of intra-African and international trade--skip/omit 2016 (covered in C&C)
A. West African "Kingdoms of Gold" (shorten this section as it is covered in both Middle School and C&C)
1. Ghana; Mali; Songhay
2. Islam--Berber-Tuaregs as agents of cultural diffusion
B. East Africa--ditto above
1. Swahili States and Islam
2. The Indian Ocean Trade
3. Economic and Cultural Diffusion
C. Time runs out--here come the Portuguese ]
III. African Diaspora--Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade from the African perspective and participation in global commercial networks
A. Context and Setting: Medieval Warm and State-Building
B. African Diaspora in the Age of the Great Exchange
C. Impacts on Africa, New World, Europe
D. Abolition: Bury the Chains, Amazing GraceIV. "Scramble"
A. African Setting/Context
B. European "Race" for Dominance
C. Examples, Case Studies: Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Portugal
King Leopold's Ghost
D. Major Players--African Resistanceand European Responses
V. South Africa (I) (case study)
A. The Myth of the Empty Land--Who Was There?
B. Boers
C. Bantu: Xhosa, Shaka Zulu, Mfecane, Millennarianism
D. Brits
E. Boers-Brits-Bantus
VII. South Africa (II)
A. Mineral Revolution and the Boer War
B. Union of South Africa
C. Apartheid
D. End of Apartheid, Nelson Mandela (Invictus)
VIII. Independence and After--Issues facing Africa/presentations
IX. The 21st Century:
Projects and Presentations--"country study"?
Web site? Power Point? Other?
Format--TBA
[ Africa Projects 06 ]--flew away, alas
Suggested on-line sources
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Background: Teachers' Curriculum Institute. Empires and Kingdoms
of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Palo Alto: Teachers Curriculum Institute,1993.(TCI
4.2j)
kente cloth line--http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Classroom/9912/
alas, this site has flown away into cyberspace