HIST 2543 - In the Crossfire of Empires: Africa and World War II

(crosslisted) ASRC 2543
(HA-AS, GLC-AS, HST-AS)

Fall. 4 Credits. Letter grades only.

J. Byfield.

World War II was one of the most transformative periods in the history of the 20th century. As a result, scholars, writers and filmmakers continue to re-examine the war from multiple angles. Nonetheless, most accounts of the war marginalize Africa’s role and the consequences of the war for African communities. This course considers the new historiography on World War II that aims to put the ‘world’ back into our analysis of WW II and considers the ways in which imperialism, race and gender shaped the prosecution and the consequences of the war. It focuses specifically on Africa’s social, economic and political engagement with the powers at the center of the conflict and introduces students to emerging debates in African historiography and the historiography of World War II. (HGS)