Introduction to Topics in History (292-0-22)

Topic

The Black Atlantic: Slavery & Diaspora in the Mode

Instructors

Marcos Abreu Leitao De Almeida
Marcos L. de Almeida is a historian of Early Africa, Slavery and Atlantic History. His research has been supported by the Mahindra Humanities Center at Harvard, Social Science Research Council, American Council of Learned Societies, and the Society of Presidential Fellows at Northwestern University, among others. His work has appeared in the Journal of African History, Azania, and the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of African History.

Meeting Info

University Library 3670: Mon, Wed 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

Topic: The Black Atlantic: Slavery & Diaspora in the Mode

The Black Atlantic is both a space of physical movement—i.e., coerced and voluntary migrations—and of cultural exchange, shaped by social inequalities and racial discourses. We will look at the historical experiences of this diaspora's populations and debate how these experiences created an important body of reflections, and critiques, on the idea of "modernity." From theoretical discussions over the concept of "Black Atlantic" to the development of racial thinking during the period, and from conversations about the forms of enslavement in Africa to the making of slave systems in the Americas, we will explore why this history has left an enduring shadow in the political and cultural struggles of the contemporary world.

Learning Objectives

Learning how to think historically about the Black Atlantic in global modern history; Learning how to think on multiple spatial scales from macro-level processes to individual experiences; Reading primary and secondary historical sources for argument and evidence.

Evaluation Method

Participation (%50), Essays (%25 each)

Class Materials (Required)

All the assigned readings will be uploaded on Canvas

Class Notes

History Area(s) of Concentration: Americas, Africa/Middle East

Class Attributes

Historical Studies Distro Area