INTR 3850 Contemporary Nations: Sub-Saharan Africa
MWF 2-3 pm
LB 611
Instructor: Christopher Fung
Office: MP301
Ph/email: 544-1413 cfung@hpu.edu
Course Description:
This course is an introduction to some of the contemporary issues facing the nations of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is very difficult to generalize about an entire sub-continent, so we will concentrate on a number of case studies. These case studies will include family and gender relations, the role of colonialism, environmental issues in the Sahel, Islam in Africa, diamond mining in West Africa, health issues in Mali, emerging democracy in South Africa, genocide and its aftermath in Rwanda, conservation and development in East Africa, and the role of music in African politics and culture. Despite its specific focus, each of these cases also resonates with concerns in many parts of the region. It is hoped that students will have a better understanding of the dynamic, diverse and vibrant cultures that make up this part of the world and the way in which people are responding to the challenges and opportunities that face them.
Books:
Main text
Martin, P. and P.O’Meara (ed.s)
1995 Africa. 3rd edition. Indiana University Press.
Other texts
Dettwyler, Margaret
1994 Dancing skeletons: life and death in West Africa. Waveland.
Igoe, J.
2004 Conservation and globalization. Wadsworth.
Soyinka, W.
1989 Ake: Tales of childhood. Vintage.
Assessment:
Map Quiz: 10% (September 25)
Reaction Papers: 20% (best 4 of 5, see discussion on next page)
Midterm: 20% (October 16 – one hour in class)
Paper: 50 % (first draft 20% due November 6, mandatory paper conference with professor, final draft 30 % due December 13)
Reaction papers will be based on the readings and one will be done on the student symposium (Saturday October 30, 9 am to 1 pm) on global citizenship or a film from the Viewpoints Film Series. You may choose which readings to examine, but you must be respond to at least one reading from each section of the class. You will also be expected to attend the symposium on global citizenship for the preparation of one of your reaction papers. Students who are unable to attend the symposium should see me to make alternate arrangements.
Student Learning Outcomes and the Five Themes
Students will:
1) become more familiar with the diversity of countries, languages, cultures and religions within Sub-Saharan Africa.
2) gain a greater understanding of the role of critical issues within the region. These issues include gender, family, ethnicity, colonialism and its legacies, religion, conflict, resource acquisition, the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the democratization process, the use of creative arts as political and cultural media, modernization and globalization.
3) be better prepared to understand developments within the region in their own context rather than simply imposing a Eurocentric or industrialized viewpoint on the data.
4) be able to read articles on the subject with more depth and critical analysis.
5) be able to present arguments in written essays more coherently and more effectively than previously.
This course addresses the following of the HPU Five Themes
1) World Cultures:
2) Global Systems
(see arguments developed above).
Introduction to the course
Myths and stereotypes of Africa
Reading: Martin and O’Meara: “Africa: Problems and perspectives” (Martin and O’Meara ch.1)
Videos: The Gods must be crazy, !Nai: the story of a !Kung woman
African geography
Reading: McNulty: “The contemporary map of Africa” (Martin and O’Meara ch.2)
History
Readings: Keim: “Africa and Europe before 1900” (Martin and O’Meara ch.6)
Gellar: “The Colonial era” (Martin and O’Meara ch.7)
Keller: “Decolonization, independence and the failure of politics” (Martin and O’Meara ch.8)
Soyinka ch.s 1-4
Videos: Guimba the Tyrant; Chocolat; Mississippi Masala
Modern Africa
Society
Readings: McCall: “Social organization in Africa” (Martin and O’Meara ch.9)
Saul: “Economic life in African Villages and Towns” (Martin and O’Meara ch.10)
Robertson: “Social change in contemporary Africa” (Martin and O’Meara ch.16)
Video: Faat Kine
September 27
Guest Lecture
September 29 - October 4
no classes (work on your paper drafts)
SECTION TWO
Case Study 1: Health and Nutrition in Mali
Readings: Dettwyler
Case Study 2: Gender and Family
Readings: Soyinka ch.s 10-16
Case Study 3: Religion in Sub-Saharan Africa
Islam
Readings: Hanson “Islam and African Societies” (Martin and O’Meara ch.5)
Lamp: Art of the Baga (extract)
Christianity
Readings: tba
Traditional religions
Readings: Hoffman “Power, structure and Mande jeliw” In Status and identity in West Africa. D.C. Conrad and B. E. Frank. (ed.s)
Lamp: Art of the Baga (extract)
SECTION THREE
October 20 - 25
Case Study 4: Development and Political Reform
Readings: Stryker and Ndegwa: “The African development crisis” (Martin and O’Meara ch.20)
Winchester: “African politics since independence”
October 27 - 30
Case Study 5: Conservation and NGOs in East Africa
Readings: Igoe: Conservation and globalization.
November 1 - 6
Case Study 6: Ethnic conflict and its aftermath
Readings: Wade
Gourevitch (ch.s tba)
November 6: first drafts due (schedule a meeting with me to talk about your first draft, this is mandatory)
November 8, November 13
Ethnic conflict continued (Rwanda, Sudan, effective responses)
Gourevitch (ch.s tba),
web resources on Darfur
Videos: Hotel Rwanda/ One Day in
November 10: Veterans’ Day/Armistice Day (no classes)
November 15 – 20 (no classes)
work on your final drafts of your paper
SECTION FOUR
November 27 –December 1
South Africa and the aftermath of Apartheid
Readings Halisi and O’Meara “South Africa” (Martin and O’Meara ch.21)
Wilson: “Reconciliation and Revenge in Post-Apartheid South Africa –
Rethinking Legal Pluralism and Human Rights,” Current Anthropology, 41(1),
December 4-6
African views of themselves
Readings: TBA (Selections from Kenyatta, Senghor, Nkrumah, Mandela, and Wangai)
December 8
Perspectives on the future