This course is a survey of the African continent from 1800 to present. In this course, we will examine the political, social, economic and cultural changes in Africa during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Focus will be on key themes that span much of African history during this period including: slavery and the slave trade, European conquest and African resistance, the expansion of world religions (Islam and Christianity) in Africa, colonialism, the growth of nationalism, decolonization and the emergence of independent postcolonial states, and the challenges facing contemporary African states related to political instability and economic development. Given the enormous breadth and diversity of Africa, this course explores these themes by focusing on certain case study regions and countries, such as Francophone West Africa, Nigeria, the Congo region (Zaire), the East African coast and Arabic-speaking North Africa.
