History of West Africa

Catalog description

A history of West Africa from the earliest times to the present. The course emphasizes cultural continuities and changes, trade and cultural ties with North Africa, and contemporary challenges of economic development and nation building in the region. It examines important themes like village, urban, and community life; the formation of mini and mega states such as Ghana, Mali, and Songhai empires; the creation of trans-Saharan and trans-Atlantic trade networks; traditional religion, Islam, and Christianity; European colonialism and African resistances; and decolonization.