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. 2026/27). Students who wish to strengthen their background knowledge are encouraged to consult these materials.

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

Obiettivi formativi - Risultati di apprendimento attesi

This course introduces students to key aspects of Africa’s contemporary history, providing methodological and analytical tools to understand the continent’s major social, political, economic, and environmental transformations within global historical and contemporary contexts. Particular attention is devoted to the three dimensions of sustainability and to the role of international cooperation and development policies in shaping African societies.

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

• Understand the major events, trends, and transformations in African history over the past two centuries,
• Apply historical concepts and methodologies to the analysis of contemporary issues affecting African societies,
• Examine the interactions between local dynamics, globalization, sustainability, and international development processes,
• Appreciate the diversity and complexity of African societies (“many Africas”), while identifying broader patterns and drivers of change,
• Develop informed perspectives on governance, human development, social justice, and environmental challenges in Africa,
• Communicate effectively through oral presentations and seminar discussions, formulating well-informed arguments on Africa’s present and future trajectories.

Contenuto del corso

The course explores key dynamics in Africa’s modern and contemporary history through a critical and comparative perspective, with particular attention to Sub-Saharan Africa. It examines Africa’s historical connections within the continent and with the wider world, situating globalization, development, and sustainability within their historical contexts. The course also challenges outdated representations that marginalize Africa in global history, highlighting instead the diversity of African societies, structural inequalities, and local forms of agency and resilience.

Topics include:

• Colonialism, decolonization, state formation, and citizenship,
• Development policies, international cooperation, and the impact of economic reforms on African societies,
• Social development and welfare, with particular attention to demography, education, healthcare, and inequalities,
• Food security, natural resources, environmental sustainability, climate change, infrastructure, and the green transition,
• Mobility, urbanization, and migration processes,
• Competing narratives of African development and globalization,
• Regional and continental integration processes.

The course will be taught in English.

Metodi didattici

The course promotes student-centred learning through interactive seminars and simulation-based activities focused on governance, sustainability, and international cooperation processes.

Attending students Lectures will be complemented by interactive class discussions and seminars with guest speakers. Regular attendance and active participation are strongly encouraged, as they are integral to achieving the course learning outcomes.

Non-attending students Students who are unable to attend classes are required to participate in two seminars (the schedule and required readings will be made available on the LOL platform) and prepare the mandatory textbook listed below.

All course materials will be uploaded to the LOL and Teams platforms. These platforms may also be used for remote teaching activities, should this be required by the degree program.

Students who have submitted certified documentation of disability or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD/DSA) to the Student Administration Office are encouraged to contact the course instructor at the beginning of the course, including through the Servizio Disabilità e DSA (https://www.unistrapg.it/it/vivere-il-campus/servizi/servizi-per-studenti-con-dsa-e-disabilita; email sdda@unistrapg.it), in order to arrange appropriate compensatory and/or dispensatory measures and any necessary adaptations to teaching activities.

Metodi di accertamento

The final assessment consists of an oral examination. Students will be asked to discuss one of the case studies presented during the course and answer a second question relating to other topics covered in the syllabus.

Attending students will be assessed on the basis of class participation and the oral examination. Active participation in class discussions and seminars forms an integral part of the learning process and will be taken into account in the final assessment of attending students. Non-attending students will be required to discuss an additional reading during the oral examination.

Assessment of the oral examination will be based on the following criteria:

• the ability to present clear, coherent, and well-structured arguments,
• critical understanding of the main concepts and processes explored during the course,
• awareness of the broader historical and contemporary context.

For students with certified disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), examination arrangements will be agreed upon according to individual needs, in consultation with the University's Servizio disabilità e DSA.

Testi di esame

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

Non-attending students Required reading:

• Frederick Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press, 2019
• one chapter of your choice from the volume: Toyin Falola, Kenneth Kalu, Africa and Globalization. Challenges of Governance and Creativity, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018;

Testi di consultazione e approfondimento

Development in Historical Perspective:

• G. Klay Kieh (ed.), Contemporary Issues in African Society: Historical Analysis and Perspective, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018;
• E. Akyeampong, R.H. Bates, N. Nunn, J.A. Robinson (eds.), Africa's Development in Historical Perspective, Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Governance and SDGs:

• W. Leal Filho et A., SDGs in Africa and the Middle East Region, Springer Nature, 2022;
• T. Falola & K. Kalu, Africa and Globalization: Challenges of Governance and Creativity, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018.

Sustainability in Modern Africa

• Ebes Aziegbe-Esho, On the Sustainable Development of African Countries: A Strategic Human Capital Approach, Springer Nature, 2025;
• Wale Adebanwi (ed.), The Political Economy of Everyday Life in Africa: Beyond the Margins, James Currey, 2017;
• E. Ndhlovu, Agriculture and Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa: Resilience and Recovery Toward Sustainable Futures, Springer Nature, 2022;
• Shuaib Lwasa, Mandipa Bongiwe Ndlovu, Urban Transitions in Africa. Opportunities and Complexities, Springer Nature, 2026.

Altre informazioni

Attendance is mandatory for full-time students, who are expected to participate from the first week of classes. Active participation in class discussions is strongly encouraged and considered essential for success in the course.

Students who do not attend regularly must contact the course instructor regarding the seminar schedule: federica.guazzini@unistrapg.it