Introduction to African Civilizations.

108-01

108-02

 

 

Instructor: Esperanza Brizuela-Garcia, Ph.D.

Schedule:           108-01.- Wednesday and Friday 11:30am - 12:45pm.

                        108-02.- Wednesday and Friday 1:00 Ð 2:15pm.

Contact Information: Office hours: Wednesday and Friday 10:15- 11:15am and Friday 2:30 Ð 3:30pm.

Email: brizuelagare@mail.montclair.edu

Site: http://montclair.blackboard.com

 

Objectives of the course.

The history of Africa is rich and complex. This course will provide a general overview of the most important historical processes that have affected the African continent. Given the complexity and diversity of this region the course has been designed to provide the students with an interpretative survey of African history that will help them make the relevant connections between broad processes and specific case studies. To achieve this the instructor will combine lectures with the analysis of particular case studies that will show the effects of general processes on the lives of particular societies. It is also expected that the study of the African past will allow students to develop the skills of critical reading and analytical thought that will help them in their academic and professional careers.

 

Mechanics of the course.

1.- The coursework for this class is divided in two parts. The first session of the week (Wednesdays) the instructor will give a lecture on a general topic and answer questions regarding the class.

2.- The second session of the week (Fridays) students will discuss the assigned readings. The dates in which the readings will be discussed are detailed below. Students will be provided with a series of questions every week that will allow them to prepare for the discussion of the following week. Students will answer these questions and will hand-in their answers to the instructor. Students are required to be prepared for these sessions and participate in the discussion. The work produced by students during these sessions is a major part of their participation mark.

 

Readings.

-       Herbert, Eugenia. Iron, Gender, and Power. Rituals of Transformation in African Societies. Indiana University Press, 1993.

-       Law, Robin (ed.) From Slave Trade to "Legitimate" Commerce. The Commercial transition in nineteenth-century West Africa. Cambridge University Press, 1995.

 

Evaluation.

The final marks will be calculated in the following way.

 

 

a)     Coursework.

The work produced in the Friday sessions will be used to calculate this grade. This grade can also be enhanced by active participation in class discussion and regular attendance.

 

 

b)     Exams.

The exams will consist on seven questions that will be taken from the questions that will be discussed in class. From these seven questions students should choose four. Each question is worth 25 points. Each question should be answered in an essay form. Each essay should be between 200 and 300 words long. Essays will be evaluated on the accuracy and efficacy of the piece in providing an answer to a particular question. Essays should be written in correct English. Students should show that they are able to provide an accurate answer in a well-structured essay, both logically and grammatically. Essays that do not exhibit a correct use of the English language, (either because of grammatical or spelling mistakes) will receive poor evaluations. Students who are found to have the same essays in their exams will be considered to be cheating and may be given no points for that answer. Students will be allowed to use their books and one page (letter size, double-sided, may be typed) of notes during their exams.

 

The following is an example of how to calculate your marks and a table with the equivalent letter mark for each grade.

Example: There are a total of 11 Friday sessions. If you handed-in work for only 8 sessions you have 72.7% of the coursework. Multiply 72.7 by .20, this will give you 14.54 points. This means you have 14.54 points out of 20. Exams are marked also from 1 to 100. If you get a 95 in your first exam you multiply 95 by .40 and this gives you 38 points out of a total of 40. Finally, if you get a 100 in your second exam, you multiply 100 by .40. This will give you a total of 40 points. Thus your final mark will look like follows:

 

                                                Coursework                               14.54

                                                First Exam                                38

                                                Second Exam                             40

                                                Final Mark                                92.54

 

The following table indicates that a 92.54 is equivalent to an A-. Thus, your final mark will be an A-.

 

 

 

The exams will consist on a selection from the questions that were addressed during the discussion sessions.

Note on attendance: Students are required to attend regularly. Students who miss more than 6 classes will automatically fail the course. Missing an exam requires adequate justification, which should be supported by a note from the Dean of Students.

 

Class rules.

1.- Please arrive to each class promptly. If you are late, please enter the room quietly. Do not leave the room during class unless you plan to stay out for the period.

2.- Turn off your mobile phones.

3.- Do not ask to discuss your grade or other matters at the beginning of class unless you feel your concerns are relevant to the entire class. In that case, please tell me if you feel a public discussion is needed. Otherwise, use the office hours or make an appointment to see me privately.

4.- You can use e-mail to schedule appointments or to ask simple questions. Do not use e-mail to discuss grades or to ask for assistance with your coursework. If you need help with your readings, make an appointment to meet with me. Please be aware that I do not read my e-mail over the weekends.

5.- If you miss class you do not need to justify your absence, unless this will affect the attendance requirement. The only absences that will be justified have to be supported by a note from the Dean of Students. This rule includes absences on exam days.

6.- Do not eat or drink during class.

7.- Do not whisper, rattle papers, or otherwise distract your fellow students during class, especially during videos or films.

 

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

 

1	January 19	Introduction.
2	January 21	Prehistory and Early Colonization.
3	January 26	Egypt, North Africa and Nubia.
4	January 28	Herbert, Introduction, pp.1-22
5	February 2	Christianity and Islam.
6	February 4	Herbert, Chapters 1 & 2, pp. 26-77.
7	February 9	Empires of West Africa.
8	February 11	Herbert, Chapters 3, 4 & 5, pp. 78-127.
9	February 16	Societies of East and Central Africa.
10	February 18	Herbert, Chapters 6 & 7, pp. 131-199.
11	February 23	Southern Africa.
12	February 25	Herbert, Chapter 8 and Conclusions, pp. 200-238.
13	March 2	Mid-term exam.
14	March 4	Film.
15	March 9	Early European Contacts and the Slave Trade.
16	March 11	Law, Introduction, pp.1-31.
17	March 23	Modernization in North Africa.
18	March 25	Easter/ No Class.
19	March 30	Transition in West Africa.
20	April 1	1.- Lovejoy and Richardson, pp. 32-56. 2.- Lynn, pp.57-77.
21	April 6	East and Southern Africa in the Nineteenth Century.
22	April 8	3.- Soumonni, pp.78-92. 4.- Austin, pp.93- 118.
23	April 13	Partition and Colonialism.
24	April 15	5.- Kea, pp. 119-143. 6.- Mann, pp. 144- 171.
25	April 20	Social and Cultural Change.
26	April 22	7.- Martin, pp. 172-194. 8.- Law, pp. 195-214.
27	April 27	Independence and the Fall of Apartheid.
28	April 29	9.- McDougall, pp. 215- 239. 10.- Hopkins, pp.240-264.
30	May 11	Final Exam Hist 108-01 1:00- 3:00 pm Final Exam Hist 108-02 3:15- 5:15 pm.

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