UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT, Intersession 2016
HISTORY 3753 MODERN AFRICA
Instructor: Dr. Vernal
Email:
(this is the best way to communicate as it automatically leaves
a paper trail for the both of us)
Office Hours: I am routinely online from 9 am-9pm to monitor this class;
if you need to reach me immediately, please send me a text and I will text or call you
My cell phone is below:
Phone Extension: 203-687-3479
Course Overview and Introduction
1.1Course DescriptionThis course surveys the history of Africa from the eve of colonial conquest to the early post-independence period. Course themes include: the role of gender in the experiences of ordinary men and women;the nature of authority in indigenous polities; the European scramble for Africa and African responses; the emergence of colonial forms of unfree labor; colonial administrative and economic policies; urbanization;African nationalism; and the economic, social, and political realities and challenges of post-colonial Africa; and the nature and consequences of foreign aid to Africa.
1.2Brief Structure:this is a fully online course that covers a semester’s worth of material in an intersession period. While some of the content and the readings differ from the semester long course, it is, in no way, an easier course, or less work
1.3Lectures: Online via HUSKYCT; follow video icons; there may be more than one video for each module; the lectures include Dr. Vernal’s recorded lectures as well as online content from YouTube, BBC, Ted talks and or other online access points
1.4Discussions: Online via HUSKYCT. Follow discussion prompts.Pay particular attention to requirements of each discussion prompt; you may be asked to debate or role play
1.5Attendance:Students need to complete all components of the course in order to receive a final grade for the course
1.6Accommodations: Forward all relevant paperwork involving accommodations for exams as soon as possible
1.7Detailed Structure:Each module has a video lecture(s), a list of the READINGS, and discussion PROMPT/QUESTIONS that you need to respond to on the discussion board on HUSKYCT. There are MODULE TAKEWAYS where you summarize briefly what you knew beforehand, what you learned and what you want to learn more about. There are five modules for this class, with 2 day modules for the first two modules and 3 day modules for the last 3. Please pace yourself accordingly. The system is set up to receive your first post assignments early in the modules, so you can do your initial posts ahead and paste them at the appropriate due date. However, since you have to respond to at least two of your classmates, you do have to wait for others to post to engage in the ongoing discussion.Guidelines for responding to your classmates’ prompts are also explained on HUSKYCT as well as in each module listed on the syllabus. The discussion board is also a forum for us to clarify terminology, chronology, and any areas that may prove challenging—as it should be—for those coming to African history for the first time. Ask questions; ask lots of them
1.8Prerequisite: No prerequisite knowledge is required; however, each module is cumulative and as you move from one module to the next, you are expected to know and build on the previous module’s contents
1.9 This is an upper level course; however freshman and sophomores have done well as well as junior and seniors
2.Learning Objectives and Competencies
2.1 Course Objectives are to:
- Analyze indigenous perceptions and responses to the ending of the slave trade and the coming of colonial rule
b. Assess European motivations for colonizing Africa
c. Describe the administrative principles that informed European colonial rule
d. Explain the relationship between antislavery, humanitarianism, Christianity, commerce and colonialism
e. Describe shifting perceptions of resistance and collaboration
f. Compare the labor processes involved in colonial commodity production
g. Explainhow urbanization shaped colonial demographics, and colonial politics
h. Explain how the colonial economy and the migrant labor system emerged
i. Evaluate the intellectual and political strands of African nationalist ideologies
j. Compare the rise of nationalist resistance movements
k. Explore contemporary debates about the benefits and demerits of aid in Africa
l. Assess the role of gender in shaping the African experience of conquest and imperial rule
n. Use visual aidsto elucidate key themes in Africa’s history
2.2 Learning Objectives are paired with reading and writing assignments with discrete grading criteria
2.3 Readings are paired to objectives; see individual modules
2.4 Each module is paired to particular objectives and is paired with individual readings, writing and discussion assignments with clear rubrics and guidelines. They are written from the perspective of a student who is assimilating information for the first time. No previous knowledge, besides mastery of the previous modules, is required.
3. Assessment and Measurements
3.1All Assignments have a grading rubrics; see individual rubrics in HUSKYCT
3.2 Discussion Boards
a.Your participation on discussion Boards is graded on a 20 point scale and will be graded on the following criteria: proper sentences are required, rather than “yes” or “no” or shallow, one-word answers. Your initial post should be thorough, meaningful, and engaging and be a minimum 250-300 words. You respond to at least 2 other posts and those individual responses should be no less than 250 words.
- Each discussion has a takeaway section—which asks: what did you know before, what did you learn and what do you want to learn more about. These are designed to help you reflect on the lecture and readings and are worth 3 points each.
3.3 Grading: all assignments must be completed to receive a grade for the course; course grading policy is clearly delineatedon both a point and a percentage system
Total Points
A 250-237 A- 236-225 B+ 224-212 B- 211-199 C+ 198-187 C- 186-174 D+ 173-162 D-161-150
100 points (40%) Discussion BoardParticipation: 5 assignments@ 17 points each and 5 takeaways @3
points each
The strength and quality of class discussion depend on your engagement with the assigned readings and prompts. Please log into the discussion after using the guide questions to situate yourself in the readings. Be prepared because you will have to engage your classmates
50 points (20%) Mid-Term Essay
100 points (40%)Final Essay
3.4Students engage with the material through reading, writing, lectures, visual aids, and discussion; rubrics and guidelines are provided on HUSKYCT
3.5Student can submit drafts of their post and receive feedback on initial modules before the due date and have multiple opportunities to assess/track their own progress
Instructional Materials
4.1 Readings include: an iconic nineteenth century study of colonial administration, various colonial and African perspectives on colonization, resistance, economic development, and nationalism; a popular secondary source on the debate over aid in Africa, and a seminal overview of the mineral revolution in South Africa. The readings provide multiple points of view on a similar theme and explore case studies from across the continent, including Namibia, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory Coast, and South Africa. The readings complement the overall course and individual objectives.
Required Readings: Available for purchase from the COOP
Dambisa Moyo, Dead Aid: Why Aid is not Working
b. All other readings are available from, (a) the indicated website, (b) HUSKYCT site for HIST 3753 or (b) or from the library’s full-text electronic resources on Academic Search Premiere, JSTOR and other full text databases available through UCONN. Please try to download and/or print off materials ahead of time. All journal articles included in this course have a HUSKYCT link and can also be found by searching the library databases.
4.2 Students read from a variety of primary sources that provide firsthand knowledge from a variety of perspectives; and they read secondary sources that show some of the ways in which scholars have tried to explain major developments in modern African history from the end of the slave trade, the scramble for Africa, colonial economic and administrative strategies to nationalism and development. Case studies are paired with individual stories to supply a range of different perspectives
4.3 (See bibliography of reading materials)
4.4 (The collection of primary sources and secondary sources provide a broad overview and case studies of major themes in modern African history
4.5 Required and Optional materials are labeled; all video lectures, visual materials writing and online discussion assignments are required
5. Course Etiquette/Behavior
a. Plagiarism /Academic Integrity
According to the University of Connecticut’s standards, “Academic misconduct is dishonest or unethical academic behavior that includes, but is not limited, to misrepresenting mastery in an academic area (e.g., cheating), intentionally or knowingly failing to properly credit information, research or ideas to their rightful originators or representing such information, research or ideas as your own (e.g., plagiarism).” Do not present others’ work and wording as your own, in the same way that I did not paste the UCONN website’s wording as my own, but rather enclosed in quotation marks. Do not import information from published or unpublished, print or electronic, visual and graphic sources without the appropriate citation or credit. Please keep in mind that as in the case of the law, “ignorance” is not a defense. The short rule is: if it’s not your work, cite it. Plagiarism cases will be subjected to review and may result in a failing grade for the course.
For further information about the code of conduct, hearings, appeals, see the University of Connecticut’s community standards website:
b. Electronic Communication
i.Electronic communication is defined here as all communication with students, faculty, and moderators for this course including discussion boards and email
ii.All communication will take place in standard, formal English; (No LOLor TTYL, and the host of other abbreviations used in texting, will be allowed)
iii.Communication with the faculty will take place via the professor’s email address and cell phone number listed on the syllabus.
iv.Communication to the students’ email accounts will only use the default uconn.edu address which is associated with your information in the PeopleSoft administrative system. Please do not expect routine announcements and updates about class to go to your personal email simply because you may have sent a message from your account to my inbox
v.Course alerts and updates will be posted via the PeopleSoft administrative system and as a text and pop-up announcement in HUSKYCT
c. Titles and Names
vi.Faculty should be addressed in all communications as “Dr.” or “Professor;” Students will be addressed by their names used on their written assignments
d. Student Conduct in Online Discussion
vii.Respect the privacy of classmates and instructors
viii.Reply to online discussions in a courteous manner and in regular font while keeping in mind that electronic communication consisting of all caps, large font, or bold print may be considered unprofessional, belligerent, disruptive, inappropriate, and as form of verbal abuse.
ix.Restrict discussion to the relevant course themes and topics without digressing to personal details and without references to the presumed or confirmed racial, sexual gender, orientation, and religious background of course and discussion participants
x. If the code of conduct is violated, the student will be issued a written warning via email detailing an explanation of what segment of the code was violated and the penalty; a second incident will result in being expelled/locked out of the discussion board and a forfeiture of that segment of the grading for the remainder of the course
xi.The code of conduct cannot be used as an excuse to not participate in discussion
xii.Student discussion of mechanical problems such as missing page numbers, broken, or expired web links etc., may be posted publicly; however, the discussion board should not be used to vent about how long a particular reading is and how long it took you to do it
xiii.Course feedback, problems downloading, uploading, and other mechanical problems should be addressed via the threaded discussion under the FAQ/TROUBLESHOOTING section on HUSKYCT; please post private questions and time-sensitive issues to the professor directly
xiv. Scheduled absences, those that you already know about at the time of registration for this class (i.e. your wedding, or your siblings’ Bar Mitzvah should be submitted to the professor via email ahead of time with supporting documentation; and work needs to be submitted before your absence or will not be accepted; emergency-related absences should be noted to the professor via email with supporting documentationscanned or emailed
xv.Students must complete all modules to receive a passing grade for the class; although you may be averaging a C-range passing grade before you get to the final modules, you must complete all modules or an incomplete grade will be issued; incompletes automatically turn to an “F” grade by the next semester
xvi.Writtenassignments will be locked after submission and cannot be edited thereafter;
xvii.Late assignments unrelated to emergencies will be accepted within 24 hours of due date for a maximum of 70% of the value of that assignment
xviii. No assignments will be accepted beyond 24 hours after its initial due date has passed
xix.Mechanical problems that can definitively be traced to broken website links or library links etc., will incur no penalties; incompetence in using the library’s full text databases is not considered a mechanical problem
xx.Orient yourself to UCONN’s library page by following the links to the basic library orientation, finding books, and finding articles below. See the Trouble shooting and FAQ links (which will be updated as questions arise. Here are some links to help you; click and follow the links.
8. Faculty and Student Introduction
a. (Faculty) Introduction: Click on the discussion board introduction page to see my welcome message HuskyCT
b.(Student) Introductions: Click on the discussion board to tell me more about yourself and why you are taking this course
Learner Interaction and Engagement
5.1 Basic library orientation:
5.2 The videos, written assignments all promote familiarity with modern Africa’s historical trajectory by using particular themes and stories to illustrate the major trends for a particular epoch
5.3 Students have ample opportunities to interact with the faculty and peers
5.4 Each module has an indication of how long the module last time stamp and guidelines for when each writing assignment and online discussion is due. Each module starts at 9am and ends at 9pm on the given date
5.5 The requirementsfor student interaction are clearly outlined for each module
Course Technology
6.1 Tools and media support the learning objectives with discussion threads/forum, FAQs and troubleshooting warning
6.2 Tools and media require the student to be an active learning through discussion boards, peer-to-peer and student-faculty interactions
6.3 Navigation is chronological by module and consistent across each assignment
6.4 Technologies are accessible
6.5 Course employs most updated version of Blackboard being used by the University of Connecticut
6.6Minimum technical skills
a. A computer with internet access is required; adobe, Java and Silverlight enabled
b. Familiarity with blackboard/ HUSKYCT, Adobe Reader, PowerPoint, Google Scholar and uploading attachments to email are considered basic skills
c. The ability to search, retrieve, and download full text articles from a variety of university databases and online sites are also basic skills required. See the library orientation guides
Learner Support
7.1 HuskyCT provides clear descriptions of tech support as well as support from the faculty
7.2Accessibility policies and services are outline and links provided
7.3 The main academic support is via the library and writing center which is clearly indicated; students also have opportunities for faculty to provide individual support as needed
7.4 Resources for Student Support Services are clearly pinpointed
Accessibility and Usability
8.1 Course provides accessible technologies and guidance on how to obtain accommodations. The Center for Student with disabilities provides accommodation services to students with documented injuries and conditions. Please see their policies:
Email:ilbur Cross Building, Room 204, 233 Glenbrook Road, Unit 4174, Storrs, CT 06269-4174
Voice: 860-486-2020 TDD: 860-486-2077 Fax: 860-486-4412
8.2 The course provides alternatives to auditory materials
8.3 The course design facilitates readability and provides a predictable rhythm module
8.4 The course design accommodates assistive technologies
Important Dates for your calendar
Dec 28 Course Opens
Dec 29 Module 1 closes
Dec 30 Last day for Add/Drop
Dec 31 Module 2 closes
Jan 4 Module 3 closes
Jan 5-6 Midterm
Jan 9 Module 4 closes; midterm grades reported
Jan 12 Module 5 closes
Jan 13-15 Final Exam in the form of a debate over on aid and development
Module 1 December 27, 28, 29
COLONIZING AFRICA:
Lectures: (there are two lectures)
1/2 Scramble for Africa
2/2 AfricanResponses
Readings
#1. Capt. F. D. Lugard, “The Rise of Our East African Empire,” 1893
#2: Treaty of Berlin, 1885 (search online if link is broken)
#3 Rudyard Kipling Poem: “The White Man’s Burden”
#4 Why Britain Acquired Egypt
Mary Kingsley Excerpt (HUKSYCT)
Reading Guide Questions: These questions are designed to help guide you through the readings. See the specific discussion prompt for what to do on the discussion board on HUSKYCT. Please note that you are NOT answering these questions on the discussion board; rather, you are using these questions as a background to help prepare you for the discussion. Since this is your first discussion, please read these guide questions, make sure you understand the content of the readings’ and then read the discussion prompt.