Protest and Rebellion: The “Dirty War” in Kenya

(4 Credits)

During the early 1950s, war erupted in colonial Kenya. Referred to as the “horror story of the British Empire,” the Mau Mau insurgency made headlines around the world. This course will use primary and secondary sources to examine the origins of the insurgency, and the different ways that historians have interpreted its legacy. What were the conditions that set the stage for Mau Mau to emerge? Who were the people involved? What role did it play in the decolonization of Kenya? How has it been remembered by different constituencies? How does the historiography of the Mau Mau demonstrate the politics of history?