Module HIST3221: Interpreting conflict in post-colonial Africa

Department: History

HIST3221: Interpreting conflict in post-colonial Africa

Prerequisites

• A pass mark in at least ONE level 2 module in History.

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce students at an advanced level to the theoretical problems faced by historians as they engage with societies in Africa emerging from colonialization.
• To build a deeper understanding of the state and the way it interacts with society through the example of post-colonial Africa.

Content

• The global media typically interprets the many violent conflicts of post-colonial Africa as 'tribal' violence. These crude stereotypes are themselves the products of different political and historiographical contexts, in which Africa and post-colonialism are poorly understood. This course takes us beyond the stereotypes to examine in detail the historical, political and economic basis for episodes of mass violence and warfare in Africa from the 1950s onwards. We will draw connections between the local, state-level, regional and global factors which have fed into these conflicts. But in order to do this, students will be challenged to think hard about how different disciplines have tackled the problem of post-colonialism. Students will compare the work of political scientists, anthropologists, economists as well as that of historians, in order to gain comparative and theoretical insight into the causes and character of post-colonial conflict. Our understanding of state and society in post-colonial Africa will be challenged throughout; but so will our understanding of the role of history itself. We will be asking bigger questions of our discipline, our own assumptions as post-colonial historians, and above all assessing how much we have to learn from other disciplines as we tackle some of the most thought-provoking problems of the modern world.

Learning Outcomes

• A detailed understanding of the way in which historians have thought through problems of post-colonial conflict in Africa
• A developing ability to assess different disciplinary perspectives on the problem of post-colonialism in Africa
• A developing ability to consider the importance to historians of different disciplinary perspectives in post-colonial history
• To reflect upon the nature of history as a discipline, by analysing the questions historians ask of their primary sources and/or the nature of the dabates among historians.

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

• Key skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Student learning is facilitated by a combination of the following teaching methods:
• lectures to set the foundations for further study and to provide the basis for the acquisition of subject specific knowledge. Lectures provide a broad framework which defines individual module content, introducing students to themes, debates and interpretations. In this environment, students are given the opportunity to develop skills in listening, selective note-taking and reflection;
• seminars to allow students to present and critically reflect upon the acquired subject-specific knowledge, methodologies and theories, and to identify and debate a range of issues and differing opinions. The seminar is the forum in which students are given the opportunity to communicate ideas, jointly exploring themes and arguments. Seminars are structured to develop understanding and designed to maximise student participation related to prior independent preparation. Seminars give students the opportunity to develop oral communication skills, encourage critical and tolerant approaches to reasoned argument and historical discussion, build the students' ability to marshal historical evidence, and facilitate the development of the ability to summarise historical arguments, think in a rapidly changing environment and communicate in a persuasive and articulate manner, whilst recognising the value of working with others and, occasionally, towards shared goals.
• Assessment:
• Examinations test students' ability to work under pressure under timed conditions, to prepare for examinations and direct their own programme of revision and learning, and develop key time management skills. The examination gives students the opportunity to develop relevant life skills such as the ability to produce coherent, reasoned and supported arguments under pressure. Students will be examined on subject specific knowledge. In addition, seen Examinations (with pre-released paper) are intended to enable Level 3 students to produce more considered and reflective work;
• Summative essays remain a central component of assessment in history, due to the integrative high-order skills they develop. Essays allow students the opportunity to recognise, represent and critically reflect upon ideas, concepts and problems; students can demonstrate awareness of, and the ability to use and evaluate, a diverse range of resources and identify, represent and debate a range of subject-specific issues and opinions. Through the essay, students can synthesise information, adopt critical appraisals and develop reasoned argument based on individual research; they should be able to communicate ideas in writing, with clarity and coherence; and to show the ability to integrate and critically assess material from a wide range of sources.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

One or more short assignments submitted in writing or delivered orally and discussed either 1:1 or in a group context

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University