Scheda insegnamento

Prerequisiti

No prior knowledge of African history is required. A supplementary reading list is available on the LOL platform (Suggested Readings for Students Enrolled a.y. 2025/26). Students who feel their academic background may benefit from additional preparation are encouraged to consult this material.

Language requirements: A B2 level in English, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), is required. Students may also use the Language Tutoring Service where appropriate.

Obiettivi formativi - Risultati di apprendimento attesi

This course introduces students to key aspects of Africa’s contemporary history, equipping them with the methodological and analytical tools necessary to analyse major social and political developments on the continent. Students will engage with critical debates and current issues that situate Africa within broader global historical and contemporary contexts.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Gain a comprehensive understanding of the major events, developments, and trends in African history over the past two centuries;
• Critically discuss and apply historical concepts, engage with contemporary debates, and historicize current issues;
• Appreciate the diversity and complexity of African societies (“many Africas”), while identifying overarching patterns and driving forces;
• Communicate effectively through oral presentations and seminar discussions, and formulate well-informed opinions on Africa’s socio-economic and governance challenges and opportunities for the future.

Contenuto del corso

The course explores key dynamics in Africa’s modern history through a critical and comparative lens, with a primary focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. It begins with the colonial legacy and places globalization within a historical framework, analyzing Africa’s long-standing interactions both within the continent and with the wider world. The course challenges outdated representations that marginalize Africa in global history and foregrounds internal inequalities and socio-political diversity.

Topics include: • Nation-state formation and citizenship; • Post-independence economic reforms and the international aid system, and their impact on social development; • Key social sectors: demography, education, healthcare, and welfare policies; • Food security, environmental sustainability, climate change, infrastructure, and the green economy; • Mobility and migration; • Competing development narratives (from "the hopeless continent" to "Africa rising"); • The process of regional and continental integration; • The role of regional institutions and global powers in shaping Africa’s current geopolitical and economic landscape.

Metodi didattici

For attending students: Lectures will be complemented by active classroom discussions and seminars featuring guest speakers. Regular attendance and participation are essential to achieve the course’s learning outcomes.

For non-attending students: Students who do not attend classes are required to follow two seminars (schedule and required readings will be provided on the LOL platform) and prepare the mandatory textbook (see below).

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD): Students with certified SLD may request compensatory or alternative measures as appropriate. Adaptations to course materials or assessments will be arranged case-by-case. Students are encouraged to reach out in advance, including via the Commissione per le differenze e l’inclusione (differenze-inclusione@unistrapg.it).

All teaching materials will be uploaded to the LOL and Teams platforms, which may also be used for remote teaching if required by the program.

Metodi di accertamento

The final assessment consists of an oral exam. Students will be asked to discuss one of the case studies presented in class and answer a second question related to other topics covered in the syllabus. Assessment criteria include: • Active participation during the course (for attending students); • The ability to present clear, well-structured arguments; • Critical understanding of the main processes and concepts explored; • Awareness of the broader historical and contemporary context.

Assessment accommodations for students with certified disabilities or SLD will be arranged on a case-by-case basis following the guidance of the Commissione per le Differenze e l'Inclusione.

Testi di esame

For attending students A reference bibliography and course handouts will be provided weekly via the LOL platform.

For non-attending students Required reading: • Frederick Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press, 2019.

Testi di consultazione e approfondimento

• Erik T. Gilbert & Jonathan T. Reynolds, Africa in World History, Pearson, 2012 (3rd edition). • Toyin Falola & Kenneth Kalu, Africa and Globalization: Challenges of Governance and Creativity, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. • George Klay Kieh (ed.), Contemporary Issues in African Society: Historical Analysis and Perspective, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018. • Richard J. Reid, A History of Modern Africa: 1800 to the Present, Wiley, 2020 (pp. 121–380). • Wale Adebanwi (ed.), The Political Economy of Everyday Life in Africa: Beyond the Margins, James Currey, 2017.

Altre informazioni

Attendance is required for full-time students, who are expected to join from the first week of class. Active engagement in class discussions is not only encouraged but considered essential to success in the course.

Non-attending students must contact the course instructor regarding the seminar schedule: federica.guazzini@unistrapg.it.