Survey of african history
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- Summary of Assignments, Due Dates and Grading
- LECTURES AND RELATED READINGS Topic no. 1: AFRICA IN THE WORLD
- Topic no. 2: IS THERE AN AFRICAN IDENTITY
- Topic no. 3: WRITING AFRICAN HISTORY
- Topic no. 4: PRE-COLONIAL SUB-SAHARAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE
- Topic no. 5: SLAVERY IN AFRICA
- Topic no. 6: COLONIAL CONQUEST AND AFRICAN RESISTANCE
- Topic no. 7: COLONIAL RULE AND THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE
- Topic no. 8: INDEPENDENT AFRICA
- HI 229 Mid-Term Examination, Fall Term 2012 23 October 2012
- A: Map questions On a blank map of Africa, be prepared in the Mid-Term Examination to name or place ten
- B: Identifications
- C: Short Essay
- Mark Allocation in the Mid-Term Examination
| 1Wilfrid Laurier University
HI 229 SURVEY OF AFRICAN HISTORY Fall Term 2012 Instructor: Dr. John Laband E-mail: jlaband@wlu.ca Office: DAWB 2-116 Office hours: Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and Thursdays 1.30 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. Office telephone: 519 – 884 0710 ext. 3331
Not unnaturally, Canadian students are largely unfamiliar with the history of Africa. As a continent, Africa is commonly perceived – and consequently discounted – by many people of the developed world as the unfortunate victim of colonialism and subsequent underdevelopment, its unhappy situation exacerbated by its own political, economic and ecological follies. Yet any generalised negative characterisation of Africa as a whole is inappropriate, for Africa is a vast, ancient continent exhibiting staggering diversities in terms of topography, climate, biological and zoological forms, human populations, religions and beliefs, social customs, economic activities and political organisations. History 229 is offered as an introductory survey designed to acquaint students with the wide sweep of African history from earliest times to the present in the context of Africa’s encounters with the wider world, and to familiarise them with some of the methodological and interpretative problems associated with studying it.
Lectures The course is divided into eight topics that will be covered in two lectures a week (24 in total) of 80 minutes each. The background reading for each topic is based on the textbook, Gilbert and Reynolds, Africa in World History, and is specified below in the course syllabus.
Prescribed: Gilbert, Erik, and Jonathan T. Reynolds. Africa in World History from Prehistory to the Present, 3rd edn. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson, 2012. Berkeley, Bill. The Graves Are Not Yet Full: Race, Tribe and Power in the Heart of Africa. New York: Basic Books, 2002. Recommended for supplementary reading and reference: BOOKS: [Note that there are many other relevant books available on the open shelves in the WLU Library and in the Dana Porter Library at the University of Waterloo close by. The University of Guelph also possesses many works on Africa, and these can be ordered through Trellis. The call numbers for the largest sections of books on African history are DT 1 – DT 3410, starting with general histories and progressing though regional histories, and JQ 1872 – 3754.] Recommended Bohannan, Paul, and Philip Curtin. Africa and Africans, 4th ed. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1995. Cooper, Frederick. Africa since 1940: The Past of the Present. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Crowder, Michael, and Ajayi, J.F. Ade, eds. Historical Atlas of Africa. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1985. Curtin, Philip, Steven Feierman, Leonard Thompson and Jan Vansina. African History from Earliest Times to Independence, 2nd ed. London and New York: Longman, 1995. Davidson, Basil. Modern Africa: A Social and Political History, 3rd ed. Harlow: Longman, 1994. Fage, J.D., and Roland Oliver, eds. The Cambridge History of Africa. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1975-86, 8 vols. Fage, J.D., with William Tordoff. A History of Africa, 4th ed. London: Routledge, 2002. Iliffe, John. Africans: The History of a Continent. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Isichei, Elizabeth. A History of African Societies to 1870. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1997. Louis, Wm Roger, editor-in-chief. The Oxford History of the British Empire. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001; especially vols 3-5. Lovejoy, Paul E. Transformations in Slavery: A History of Slavery in Africa, 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Martin, Phyllis M. and Patrick O’Meara. Africa, 3rd ed. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1995. 1Meredith, Martin. The Fate of Africa from the Hopes of Freedom to the Heart of Despair: A History of 50 Years of Independence. New York: PublicAffairs, 2007. Oliver, Roland. The African Experience. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1991. Oliver, Roland and Anthony Atmore. Medieval Africa 1250-1800. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Oliver, Roland and Anthony Atmore. Africa since 1800. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Oliver, Roland and J.D. Fage. A Short History of Africa. London: Penguin Books, 1995. Reader, John. Africa: A Biography of the Continent. London: Penguin, 1998. Robinson, David. Muslim Societies in African History, 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Shillington, Kevin. History of Africa, revised ed. London: Macmillan, 1995. UNESCO. The General History of Africa. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1981-91, 8 vols. JOURNALS: [Note that the journals listed below will be especially useful in finding reviews for your book review assignment.] Africa Report African Studies Canadian Journal of African Studies Journal of African History Journal of Asian and African Studies Journal of Modern African Studies Journal of Southern African Studies NEWSPAPER & RADIO REPORTS [Note that for contemporary African history it is essential to keep up with rapidly developing current affairs through newspapers and radio reports.]
WLU Media Technology Resources holds a number of video films on various aspects of African history. These can be viewed on application. Especially recommended is: The Story of a Continent: Africa. Written and presented by Basil Davidson. 1984. 8 programs. Program 1: Different but Equal Program 2: Mastering a Continent V2706 Program 3: Caravans of Gold Program 4: Kings and Cities V2707 Program 5: The Bible and the Gun Program 6: This Magnificent African Cake V2708 Program 7: The Rise of Nationalism Program 8: The Legacy V2709
Date: 23 October 2012 Duration: 1 hour Venue: DAWB 2-106 Content: Gilbert and Reynolds, Africa in World History, chapters 7, 8, 11, 13 Format: Map test; identifications and short essay. Further details are given at the end of this document on pp. 12-15. Value: 25 percent of the final grade
Date Due: 22 November 2009 Length: Six (6) pages including title page, footnotes and bibliography Format: Double-spaced in 11- or 12-point with conventional margins Value: 35 percent of the final grade Instructions: Write a critical book review of Berkeley, The Graves Are Not Yet Full (prescribed book). (1)You must consult and integrate one full book review which may come from an academic journal or from a newspaper of record. (2) You must consult Martin Meredith, The Fate of Africa and Frederick Cooper, Africa since 1940 (both books are on Short Loan) to assess how their arguments (not factual details) differ from or substantiate Berkeley’s thesis. (3) You must also consult and integrate the relevant chapters in Gilbert and Reynolds, Africa in World History (prescribed book) and refer to them to verify the accuracy of Berkeley’s account. The bibliography should include full information on the book being reviewed, the review you employed and the other sources you consulted. N.B. Attach photocopies of the review you used to your own review. Helpful hints: To find suitable reviews in scholarly journals and serious newspapers you should employ available electronic databases. Note: (a) If you are having genuine difficulties in tracking down a book review, ask a librarian for guidance. (b) If you are the slightest bit unsure about whether the book review you have selected is appropriate, ask me about it at the end of lectures or during my office hours. Assessment: You will be assessed in a number of areas. (1) Since the choice of the review is yours, you will be marked on your judgment and skill in making your selection. (2) You will be assessed (a) on your analytical ability in understanding and evaluating Berkeley’s argument, (b) on how effectively you have deployed and integrated the professional reviewer’s assessments of the book, (c) on how well you have grasped and related Meredith’s and Cooper’s arguments to Berkeley’s , and (d) on how thoroughly you have verified Berkeley’s the historical accuracy against the information in Gilbert and Reynolds.
Scope: All topics covered in lectures and readings Value: 40% of the final grade
Mid-term examination 25% Comparative book review 35% Final examination 40% TOTAL 100% Notes 1. Students with disabilities or special needs are advised to contact Laurier's Accessible Learning Office http://waterloo.mylaurier.ca/accessible/info/home.htm for information regarding its services and resources. Students are encouraged to review the Calendar for information regarding all services available on campus. 2. Students are expected to be aware of and abide by University regulations and policies, as outlined in the current Undergraduate and Graduate Calendar http://www.wlu.ca/calendars. 3. Students must reserve the examination period as stated in the Undergraduate Calendar under Academic Dates. If you are considering registering for a special examination or event, you should select a time outside the examination period. Consult with the Undergraduate Calendar for special circumstances for examination deferral. 4. The penalties for plagiarism or any form of academic misconduct are severe and enforced at all times. The Student Code of Conduct and Discipline, http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=2505&p=11452 and the procedures for investigating and determining appropriate disciplinary measures for breaches of the Code are given in the current Undergraduate and Graduate Calendar. Wilfrid Laurier University uses software that can check for plagiarism. Students may be required to submit their written work in electronic form and have it checked for plagiarism. 5. Students are to adhere to the Principles in the Use of Information Technology http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=2505&p=11440 . These Principles and resulting actions for breaches are stated in the current Undergraduate and Graduate Calendar. 6. Students' names may be divulged in the classroom, both orally and in written form, to other members of the class. Students who are concerned about such disclosures should contact the course instructor to identify whether there are any possible alternatives to such disclosures. Additional information on the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act at Laurier is available at the Privacy Coordinator Office http://www.wlu.ca/homepage.php?grp_id=1779. 
LECTURES AND RELATED READINGS Topic no. 1: AFRICA IN THE WORLD A: The Study of Africa B: What is Africa? Who invented Africa? The perspectives of European colonizers, Pan-Africanists and Africans The perspectives of the Islamic world 1) North Africa 2) The Sudan 3) The Swahili coast 4) The image of Africa in the Islamic world What should be included in Africa? C: Africa in the World Perceptions of Africa 1) Marginal 2) Broken 3) Primitive 4) Wild and dangerous 5) Exotic 6) Unspoiled 7) Idealized Finding a balance “Appropriation” anxieties D: The African Environment and History Environmental history and Africa Environment and population in Africa 1) A physical profile of the continent 2) Ecological zones 3) Endemic diseases 4) The effects on human habitation 5) “Islands” of economic development and seas of under-employment 6) The pitfalls of ecological determinism The ever-changing landscape of Africa 1) The introduction of exotic foods and the movement of livestock 2) The Sahara Desert
Ancient Egypt The traditional image of Cleopatra
The evidence B: Who Are the Africans? Who might be included? Is there an African “race”? 1) Human evolution 2) The multi-regional model 3) The “African Eve” theory 4) The “Out of Africa” model African diversity 1) The array of African languages Four language families The Bantu-speaking migration Iron technology Diffusion rather than conquest 2) The multiplicity of African cultures 3) The range of African religions 4) The variety of state forms Diversity and fusion Who are the “authentic” Africans? C: A Single African People? Négritude “Afrocentrism” The complexities of African identity The problem of “tribe” READING: Gilbert and Reynolds, Africa in World History, 14-84 Topic no. 3: WRITING AFRICAN HISTORY A: The Colonial View of African History Great Zimbabwe The Dark Continent 19th century racial stereotyping B: The Modern Academic Discipline of African History Is there such a thing as specifically African history? African history and the struggle against colonialism The historians’ diaspora Who has the write to study or write African history? C: The Evidence Conventional sources Written sources Oral sources 1) Fixed and free oral traditions 2) Functionalist and structuralist traditions 3) Periodisation in oral history 4) Chronology in oral history 5) Comparative traditions D: Interdisciplinary Approaches Palaeontology and archaeology Historical linguistics Anthropology Art history E: The Challenges to “Doing” History in Africa Topic no. 4: PRE-COLONIAL SUB-SAHARAN SOCIETY AND CULTURE A: Traditional Institutions and Modernity The persistence of African institutions Diversity and common features of African societies B: Kinship and the Household Polygyny The household The division of labour Bridewealth Elders Lineage and community Royal lineages and chiefdoms C: Age Ranking Initiation D: Gender and the Division of Labour “Appropriate” functions Food production The farming household Specialist occupations E: The Ancestors The community of the living and the dead F: Gods and Spirits Gods
Spirits G: Misfortune and its Control Witches Diviners
H: Royal Authority and the Supernatural The insignia of power I: Syncretic faiths Bori
Church of Nazareth Topic no. 5: SLAVERY IN AFRICA A: The Barbary Coast: The Invisible Slave Trade B: Approaches to the African Slave Trade African, Muslim and European slavers C: Definitions of Slavery Slaves as property Slaves as outsiders Slavery and coercion Slavery and sexuality A commodity requiring replenishment Slavery as an institution D: Slavery in Africa Slavery and the homestead economy Slavery and dependent kinship Institutionalized African slavery prior to the international slave trade? E: Muslims and African Slavery Institutionalized slavery and the Islamic world Muslims, pagans and African slavery The growth of the Muslim slave trade F: The East African Slave Trade East coast slaves for export Suppliers from the hinterland Zanzibar and the 19th century slave trade Slaves for porterage Tippu Tip’s slave kingdom G: Slavery in Africa Today Arabia
Mauritania Sudan
H: The Atlantic Slave Trade Origins and nature Scale and focus of supply African control of supply War, slavery and African state formation Consequences for Africa I: The Ending of the Atlantic Slave Trade Reasons for the abolition of the slave trade: material or ideological? 1) Declining profitability 2) Public opinion Enforcing the abolition of the slave trade J: “Legitimate Commerce” and the Former Slave Coast African states and the economic challenge of legitimate commerce Legitimate commerce and the increase of internal African slavery The effects of European economic competition K: Settlements for Freed Slaves Sierra Leone Liberia
Topic no. 6: COLONIAL CONQUEST AND AFRICAN RESISTANCE A: Christian Missionaries in the Pre-Colonial Era Roman Catholics Calvinists B: The Evangelical Revival and the Missionary Impact up to the Late 19th Century Bringing light to the benighted Improving the primitive Adapting the Christian message for Africa Cultural translation The limited missionary impact up to the 1870s C: Missionaries: The Agents of Imperialism? D: Exploration Commerce, civilization and Christianity The paradoxical nature of African exploration Explorers and their motives The heart of Africa E: The Scramble for Africa The age of imperialism No monocausal explanations for the partition of Africa The imperial power’s varied motives for the partition of Africa The Berlin Conference 1884 – 1885 F: Pre-Colonial African Armies Types of armies Armament Logistics Strategy, tactics and leadership G: The European Invaders Military technology: the key to conquest? The instruments of conquest 1) African colonial troops 2) Doctrine 3) Logistical capability 4) Fortifications H: Interpretation of African Resistance “Romantic reactionaries” Active players and not simply victims The resistance continuum Inflation of the concept of resistance
The aims of colonial administration Trusteeship The consolidation of colonial rule B: White Settlement Categories of settlement Racism and its consequences Landownership Political power The South African exception C: The Colonial Economy Economic development 1) Balancing the colonial budget 2) Resource endowment 3) Capital investment and technical expertise 4) Agricultural development 5) Irrigation and transportation Africa’s distorted colonial export economy D: The Impact of the Colonial Economy on the People of Africa Rural society Labour migration Urbanization 1) The move to the towns 2) Ties between city and countryside 3) Urban lifestyle Demographic change E: The Reasons for Decolonization from the Perspective of the Colonial Powers The Second World War and its Consequences The escalating cost of empire F: The Intellectual Foundations of African Independence Religion 1) Islam
2) Christianity 3) Independent churches 4) Millenarian movements Education Political ideologies 1) Nationalism 2) Pan-Africanism 3) Socialism 4) Democracy G: Mobilizing Resistance to Colonial Rule Women’s action Economic action 1) Consumers 2) Producers 3) Trade unions H: Political Parties and Independence Movements Organization challenges The transition from elite to mass parties I: The Gaining of Independence
Independence Post-independence panaceas and realities B: Post-Independence Political Challenges Secure democratic government International boundaries and artificial nations International relations C: The Role of Ideology African socialism African capitalism Afro-Marxism D: Authoritarian Rule One-party regimes Military rule E: The Political Consequences of Economic Decline and Dependency Economic “free-fall” Enforced economic reform Rising demands for democratic reform A swing back to democratic government? F: The Future?
Congo
Limpopo Niger
Nile Orange
Albert Nyasa
Tanganyika Victoria
Atlantic Indian
Mediterranean Red
Islands (4) Madagascar Mozambique Pemba
Zanzibar Cities (16) Alexandria Cairo Cape Town Gao Harar
Jenne Johannesburg Khartoum Kilwa
Kimberley Mecca
Mogadishu Mombasa
Tangier Timbuktu
Tunis Kingdoms and Empires (12) Almoravid Empire in Africa Asante Hausa states Kanem-Borno Lesotho
Mahdist Sudan Mali
Orange Free State Ottoman Empire in Africa Sokoto Caliphate Songhay
Wolof B: Identifications In no more than five lines be prepared in the Mid-Term Examination to explain or identify seven of the 35 following terms, states, groups and people: Terms (13) bey
Bori Dar al-Islam Jihad Kharijites Maghreb Mahdi
Mfecane monsoon
pasha ribats
Swahili Wahhabism States (3) Almoravid state Fatimid Caliphate Ottoman Empire Groups (6) Boer
Fulani (Fulbe) Griqua
Mamluks Tuareg
Voortrekkers People (11) Abd al-Qadir Ibn Battuta Mansa Musa Moshoeshoe Mzilikazi Muhammad Ali Nongqawuse Shaka Sundiata
Umar Tal Usman dan Fodio Crops (2) Cassava
Sorghum C: Short Essay In a short essay of no more than one page and a half, be prepared in the Mid-Term Examination to answer a question on any one of the following 4 topics:
4. “Perhaps the main difference between the late-eighteen and early-nineteenth century second-stage Boer expansion into southern Africa and the earlier first stage was that the Africans whom they encountered in the second stage lived in large and highly militarized states, quite different from those of the Khoikhoi.” Discuss. Mark Allocation in the Mid-Term Examination: A: Map. Ten questions at one mark per answer = 10 B: Identifications. Seven questions at five marks per answer = 35 C: Short essay. One-and-a-half page answer = 55 Total = 100 -- Directory: documents documents -> Eu common Position on Cuba: Alternatives and Recommendations documents -> Gls 100/pol 300 Havana: a global city Spring 2012, Quarter 3 documents -> Catalogue of Dissertations completed in the School of Historical Studies, University of Leicester documents -> Question: With the collapse of the classical civilizations, post-classical civilizations arose shortly thereafter. Compare the factors that led to the rise post-classical civilizations from 500 ce to 1200ce between two of the following regions- europe, documents -> World history and civilization Share with your friends:
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