Module HIST1491: The Making of Modern Africa: Change and Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1880-2000

Department: History

HIST1491: The Making of Modern Africa: Change and Adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa, 1880-2000

Prerequisites

• Normally an A or B grade in A-Level History, or an acceptable equilalent (e.g. in terms of Scottish Highers or lB)

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None.

Aims

• To equip students with an understanding of the modern history of sub-Saharan Africa; and the historical debates around this.
• To contribute to meeting the generic aims of Level 1 study in history.
• To enable students to evaluate the scholarly debates pertaining to sub-Saharan Africa's modern history.

Content

• Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented regions in the modern world, its recent history often characterised as a catalogue of man-made and natural disaster, conflict, disorder and abject human misery. Certainly, its ‘long’ twentieth century has been defined by conquest and subjugation at the hands of foreign invaders, the struggle for political and economic freedom and equity, and, in more recent times, post-colonial governmental mismanagement. Yet the modern history of sub-Saharan Africa is also one of human resilience and resistance, and of creative adaptations to changed circumstances. The last century has seen some of the most dramatic change in sub-Saharan Africa’s long history, and the module will trace such change from the partition of the continent and the imposition of colonial rule, through the colonial experience and decolonization, to the present day problems of political instability and economic underdevelopment. Changing European colonial policy and attitudes toward Africa, as well as African initiatives and responses, will be at the heart of our analysis. This module will also trace the rapid changes in the interpretations of Africa’s history over the last fifty years, and introduce students to the stimulating and challenging interdisciplinary approaches that have been taken to the writing of African history.

Learning Outcomes

• To introduce students to a holistic understanding of the modern history of sub-Saharan Africa
• To develop their awareness of Africa’s socio-economic and political challenges
• To enhance their knowledge of key the concepts and themes in modern African history
• To help students reflect and evaluate the major debates on Africa's modern history
• To assist students appreciate the nature and long-run impact of colonial rule
• To acquaint students with the problems and limitations confronting the post-colonial state

• Subject specific skills for this module can be viewed at: http://www.dur.ac.uk/history.internal/local/ModuleProformaMap/Index.htm
• In addition the student will acquire the ability to evaluate the scholarly debates pertaining to sub-Saharan Africa's modern history.

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

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:
• Unseen 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 unseen 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;
• 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:

A written assignment of 1500-2000 words to be submitted in Michaelmas Term

■ 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