West Africa and the World

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

From Burna Boy’s Afro-fusion music to the Dahomean female warriors in Woman King, and the youth-led 2020 protest against police brutality in Nigeria, West African people and cultures have remained central to popular imagination and political debates. This course invites students to explore the historical backdrop of the events, peoples, and ideas that have shaped West Africa’s evolution. It traverses the rise and fall of empires from the first millennium AD onwards, examines the emergence of European imperialism and anti-colonial resistance in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and concludes with the transformation in political and economic life from the 1960s to the present. The readings and discussions will emphasize the region’s contributions to global affairs and transnational movements’ influence on local developments. After taking this class, Students will understand how West Africans have adapted to changes and reflect on historical lessons that can shape the region’s future. Our study will include visits to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.