African Civilizations (255-1-20)
Instructors
Akinwumi O Ogundiran
Meeting Info
Fisk Hall 114: Mon, Wed 2:00PM - 3:20PM
Overview of class
This course surveys some of the major cultural innovations and historical processes in ancient Africa, from the advent of agricultural societies to their descendant civilizations, peoples, and societies in the Nile Valley, Western Sudan, and Central Sahara, the Rainforest of West Africa, and the East African Coast. The topics include major cultural innovations and historical milestones in ancient African history and their relevance to the contemporary world. The course mostly covers the period before 1500. Among the topics awaiting our inquiry are the impacts of climate change on agricultural innovations at the onset of the Holocene period; the philosophical, religious, social, political, and economic foundations of ancient African civilizations; and the changes and continuity in Africa's cultural history. Throughout, the instructor will emphasize the impacts of geography, environment, and global interactions on the unfolding of African history. The class will also use the concept of "intercommunication zone" to explore the different regional and subcontinental networks in African history.
Learning Objectives
• Develop skills in interdisciplinary historical thinking and analysis, using the principles of change, continuity, causality, context, complexity, and contingency to investigate African cultures, sociopolitical organization, and ideas of belonging.
Evaluation Method
Exams, Papers
Class Notes
Concentration: Africa/Middle East
Class Attributes
Historical Studies Foundational Discipline
Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
Historical Studies Distro Area
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity