75650 - History and Institutions of Africa (2) (LM)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will have an advanced knowledge of the major social, political and economic processes that have affected the history of the African continent in the 19th and 20th centuries. They will be familiar with the major thematic and methodological trends in Africanist historiography and understand how key categories and concepts change according to research orientations and contemporary debates. Students will be able to critically interpret information and sources relating to Africa and its history. They will have a thorough knowledge of disciplinary terminology and be able to use it in oral and written communication, including editorial work. Through discussions and seminars, students will develop a critical and scholarly approach to African history beyond representations and stereotypes and will be able to critically evaluate different perspectives and cultures.

Course contents

The course represents the second part (Module 2) of a 12‐CFU program (syllabus available at this link). It can, however, be taken in two ways:

12 CFU Track (Module 1 + Module 2)
Students enrolled in the 12‑CFU exam will attend both modules to complete the full 12 credits.

6 CFU Track (Module 2 only)
Those wishing to take only Module 2 may register for the course as a standalone 6‑credit exam; in this case, the exam will cover only the material in this module.

The module will focus on African history from the late colonial period to the postcolonial era. Through the analysis of case studies drawn from different regions of the continent, it will examine the major political, economic, and social processes that shaped the transition from colonial rule to independent states. Particular attention will be devoted to anti-colonial struggles and decolonization, the construction of the postcolonial state, African nationalisms, development policies pursued after independence, and the political and economic transformations of the late twentieth century. The module will also discuss some of the principal theoretical approaches used to interpret contemporary African history.

As in the first module, students will actively participate in the course through class discussions. Additional individual and group work will be proposed on the topics covered in the second module. Through debates, case study presentations, methodological and analytical investigations, the module aims to enhance historical research skills. It also aims to refine the skills and knowledge necessary for engage with colonial and post-colonial archives and oral sources, and to understand the diversity of colonial and post-colonial experiences.

Readings/Bibliography

STUDENTS ATTENDING THE COURSE:

Students attending the course will be given weekly readings, that are designed to complement the lectures. The readings and assignments will make students think about African history and historiography in a critical perspective. The material will be uploaded on virtuale.unibo.it at the beginning of the course and the material on specific themes will be uploaded each week

STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING THE COURSE:

Students not attending the course will read a total of 3 books:

Compulsory readings:

Frederick Cooper, 2002, Africa since 1940. The past of the present, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

And two among the following:

Allman J.M., Parker J., 2005, Tongnaab: The History of a West African God, Indiana University Press

Brivio A., 2019, Donne, emancipazione e marginalità: Antropologia della schiavitù e della dipendenza in Ghana, Mimesis

Byfield J.A., 2021, The Great Upheaval: Women and Nation in Postwar Nigeria, Ohio University Press

Cristofaro D., 2026, Marginalizing Colonialism. The Politics of Urban Growth in Bolgatanga, Ohio University Press

Ercolessi M.C., 2011, L'Angola indipendente, Carocci

Puddu L., 2025, La diplomazia del capitale. Imperialismo e costruzione dello Stato in Etiopia 1941-1960, Viella

Schmidt E., 2007, Cold War and Decolonization in Guinea, 1946-1958, Ohio University Press

Rognoni M.S., Scacchiera congolese. Materie prime, decolonizzazione e guerra fredda nell’Africa dei primi anni Sessanta, Polistampa

Wiemers A., Village Work: Development and Rural Statecraft in Twentieth-Century Ghana, Ohio University Press

Zamponi M., 2009, Breve storia del Sudafrica, Carocci

Teaching methods

Lectures and class discussions. Archival documents and photographs, travelogues, biographies, novels, will be presented and analyzed in order to better situate the historical processes discussed in class.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of classes as well as all class discussions are considered to be attending.

STUDENTS ATTENDING THE COURSE:

Students attending the course will be evaluated on the basis of:

a. participation to classes and discussions

During the course, you will have to keep up with the assigned readings which will be discussed in class. To receive a positive evaluation for this part, you will have to engage with the readings and assignments, think critically about them, and participate actively in class discussions. There will be a total of four group discussions during the course. To be considered an attending student, you have to participate in all four discussions. The material analysed in class may also be discussed during the oral exam.

b. oral exam:

Students will be evaluated on the basis of an oral exam. During the exam, you will have to discuss the articles and book chapters which will be uploaded on Virutale (virtuale.unibo.it) and discuss the main topics analysed during the course. During the exam, you have to demonstrate that you are familiar with the most important processes that characterize the history of Africa during the post-colonial period and that you are able to situate them in a wider historical perspective. You must also demonstrate that you are able to discuss methodological problems and use appropriate terminology.

 

EVALUATION:

Students who demonstrate an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the topics discussed in class and required for the discipline, together with the ability to provide effective critical analysis, clear and effective communication, and appropriate use of disciplinary terminology, will be awarded very good to excellent final mark (28–30L).

Students who demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of the course material, although based primarily on memorization, and who are able to discuss it adequately, but do not consistently show a complete command of the course content or appropriate disciplinary terminology, will be awarded satisfactory to good marks (22–27).

Students who demonstrate only a minimal knowledge of the course material, together with significant gaps in their preparation and/or an inadequate use of disciplinary terminology, will receive a pass mark (18–21).

Students who demonstrate serious gaps in their preparation and an inadequate command of the course content and disciplinary terminology will not pass the examination (below 18).

PLEASE NOTE:

Students who are taking this course as part of the integrated course African History and Institutions within the Master's Degree Programme in History and Oriental Studies (curriculum: Oriental Studies) will take two separate examinations: one for History and Institutions of Africa (1) (LM) with Prof. Pallaver and one for History and Institutions of Africa (2) (LM) with Prof. Cristofaro.

A total of eight exam sessions are scheduled, in principle, over the course of the academic year, with approximately one session per month in the following months:

January, March, April, May, June, September, October, and November

The examination is oral and is intended for all students.

NB: If you have included this course in your study plan during the current academic year, you must wait until the end of the course in order to take the exam. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations with images and maps. These will be made available to the students and uploaded on virtuale.unibo.it.

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Domenico Cristofaro