HIST. 300: Modern Africa

Modern Africa 

In this course, we will examine how people in Africa have navigated and shaped their identities amid global change. We begin by tracing how colonial rule reshaped African life—from governance to daily survival—before turning to the abolition of the slave trade and the new challenges it left behind. We’ll explore how independence sparked fierce debates over whether to reinvent politics through Pan-African unity or build new futures within the borders left by empire. We will immerse ourselves in African cinema, fashion, and artistic expression to see how these forms have been used to challenge stereotypes, reclaim histories, and project new futures. By the end, students will better understand how African identities have been shaped by, and have shaped, the modern world and global culture.