Africa is the second-largest continent in both size and population. Its diversity has produced rich artistic traditions, world leaders, and important intellectual contributions. Simultaneously, Africa faces many challenges, from political instability to poverty to diseases like malaria and Ebola.

This course invites students to examine some of the significant changes that have shaped contemporary Africa. We will begin with the final decades of the slave trade. We will then explore European imperialism and colonization, patterns of economic, social, and cultural change, independence, and Africa in a global age. This course will enable students to engage with a range of sources and approaches to the African past. Through primary documents, secondary analyses, and engagements with art and literature, we will explore Africa's past and present.