This seminar introduces students to contemporary African politics through artistic work by African authors and filmmakers. We will examine how art represents and interprets the exercise of power in political, social and economic life, looking at how politics enters daily life and how, in turn, daily life shapes politics. The semester begins with the political upheaval of colonialism and independence before addressing themes of autocracy, resistance, corruption and economic precarity as well as the continued pursuit of democratic rights and dignity. We will read and watch material from across the region, putting each piece in dialogue with relevant academic scholarship to think comparatively about political experiences and trajectories.
The course will be run as a seminar, requiring students to have read (or watched) assigned material prior to class so that they are ready to actively participate in class discussion. Students will be assessed through their class participation, short-writing and a final project.
Subfield: Comparative Politics
The Junior Seminars are intense writing seminars which focus on the research area of the faculty member teaching the course. The seminars provide an opportunity for students to have direct intellectual interactions with faculty members while also giving the students an understanding for faculty research.
Political science majors with junior or senior status.
Political science majors with Junior or Senior status.