Special Subject: Urban History in Africa

F 10-1, E51-285

This course explores the emergence of cities in sub-Saharan Africa, and traces major themes in the history of urban Africa.  By examining urban Africans at work and leisure, by exploring their popular culture and politics and the conflicts that arise from the cities’ growth, we will attempt to answer a number of questions:  When and how did the city emerge in Africa?  What distinguishes African cities?  How have urban Africans responded to the dramatic historical changes and intense cultural interactions of African history (e.g. colonialism, industrialization, urbanization, globalization)?  We will address these questions through collective readings, films, discussion boards, blogs, journals, and individual research projects.  By incorporating scholarly monographs and articles, African life histories, primary sources, fiction and film, the class will explore the variety of perspectives on urban history in Africa.

Related Subjects

Offered Spring 2023

Catalog Subject Faculty Level HASS Category
21H.102

American History since 1865

TR 2:30-4, 56-162
Caley Horan
Introductory HASS-H CI-H
21H.106 24.912 21L.008 21W.741 CMS.150 WGS.190

Black Matters: Introduction to Black Studies

T 2-5, E15-335
Michel DeGraff
Fox Harrell
Danielle Wood
Introductory HASS-H
HASS-A
CI-H
21H.143 21G.056

The “Making” of Modern Europe: 1789 – Present

TR 10:30-12, 14N-221
Alexandra Steinlight Introductory HASS-H
21H.170 17.55 21A.130 21G.084

Introduction to Latin American Studies

MW 11-12:30, 1-375
Tanalís Padilla Introductory HASS-S CI-H
21H.245 21G.086 17.57

Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society: 1917 to the Present

TR 1-2:30, 66-154
Elizabeth A. Wood Intermediate HASS-S CI-H
21H.263 WGS.220

Women and Gender in the Middle East and North Africa

F 10-1, 2-103
Lerna Ekmekcioglu Seminar HASS-H
21H.283

The Indigenous History of MIT

Lecture: M 12-2, 2-103
Recitation: W 12-1, 2-103
Craig Steven Wilder
Intermediate HASS-H
21H.358 U 21H.958 G

Colonialism in South Asia and Africa: Race, Gender, Resistance

T 10-12, E51-390
Sana Aiyar Graduate
Seminar
HASS-H
21H.S01

Special Subject: History of Capitalism

W 2-5, 5-231
Caley Horan
Jason Jackson
Intermediate HASS-H
21H.S05

Special Subject: Encoding Culture

MW 2:30-4, 1-277
Ryaan Ahmed HASS-H

Not Offered This Term

Catalog Subject Faculty Level HASS Category
21H.001

How to Stage a Revolution

Staff Introductory HASS-H CI-H
21H.009

World History and Its Fault Lines Since 1800

Sana Aiyar
Hiromu Nagahara
Introductory HASS-H CI-H
21H.101

American History to 1865

Staff Introductory HASS-H
21H.107 21G.043

Introduction to Asian American Studies: Historical and Contemporary Issues

Not offered regularly; consult department
Emma Teng
Introductory HASS-H
21H.141

Renaissance to Revolution: Europe, 1300-1800

offered infrequently; consult department
Staff Introductory HASS-H CI-H
21H.144 21G.087

Introduction to Russian Studies

TR 2:30-4, 14N-221
Maria Khotimsky Introductory HASS-H
21H.145 21G.049 4.674

French Photography

Catherine Clark Introductory HASS-A CI-H
21H.156 21G.045

Global Chinese Food: A Historical Overview

Not offered regularly; consult department
Emma Teng Introductory HASS-H
21H.157

Modern South Asia

Sana Aiyar Introductory HASS-S
21H.165

A Survey of Modern African History

MW 11-12:30, 4-144
Kenda Mutongi Introductory HASS-H
21H.172 21G.078

Latin America Through Film

Not offered regularly; consult department
Tanalís Padilla Introductory HASS-H
21H.173

Socialism in Latin America, from Che Guevara to Hugo Chavez

MW 2:30-4, 66-154
Tanalís Padilla Introductory HASS-H
21H.181 17.035

Libertarianism in History

MW 10-11:30, E51-385
Malick W. Ghachem Introductory HASS-H
21H.201

The American Revolution

Not offered regularly; consult department
Staff Intermediate
21H.205 STS.427

The Civil War and the Emergence of Modern America: 1861-1890

M EVE 7-10, E51-361
Merritt Roe Smith Intermediate HASS-H
21H.211

The United States in the Nuclear Age

Not offered regularly; consult department
Caley Horan Intermediate HASS-H
21H.213 17.28

The War at Home: American Politics and Society in Wartime

M 2-5, 56-191
Christopher Capozzola
Adam Berinsky
Intermediate HASS-S
21H.214

War and American Society

Not offered regularly; consult department
Christopher Capozzola Intermediate HASS-H
21H.217 11.013

American Urban History

T 2-4, 9-217
Ezra Glenn Seminar HASS-H CI-H
21H.220 11.150

Metropolis: A Comparative History of New York City

Not offered regularly; consult department
Craig Steven Wilder Seminar HASS-H
21H.226 11.015

Riots, Strikes, and Conspiracies in American History

Private: Andrew Pope
Intermediate HASS-H CI-H
21H.228

American Classics

Not offered regularly; consult department
Craig Steven Wilder
Intermediate HASS-H CI-H
21H.229

The Black Radical Tradition in America

Not offered regularly; consult department
Craig Steven Wilder Intermediate HASS-H
21H.241 21G.054

France: Enlightenment and Revolution

TR 2-3:30, 4-253
Jeffrey S. Ravel Intermediate HASS-H
21H.242 21G.322

Frenchness in and Era of Globalization

Not offered regularly; consult department
Catherine Clark Intermediate HASS-H
21H.253 21G.075

The Global Chinese: Chinese Migration, 1567- Present

Not offered regularly; consult department
Emma Teng Intermediate HASS-H
21H.260

Cities in the Middle East: History, Politics and Society

Staff Intermediate HASS-S
21H.262

Palestine and the Arab-Israeli Conflict

Not offered regularly; consult department
Pouya Alimagham Intermediate HASS-H
21H.265

Humanitarianism in Africa: A Critical History

Kenda Mutongi Intermediate HASS-H
21H.266

South Africa and Apartheid

Kenda Mutongi Intermediate HASS-H
21H.281

MIT and Slavery: Research

Craig Steven Wilder Intermediate HASS-H CI-H
21H.282

MIT and Slavery: Publication

Lecture: M 3-5, 14N-112
Recitation: W 3-4, 14N-112
Craig Steven Wilder Intermediate HASS-H
21H.285 STS.025

Making the Modern World: The Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective

Merritt Roe Smith Intermediate HASS-H
21H.315

American Consumer Culture

Not offered regularly; consult department
Caley Horan Seminar HASS-H
21H.319

Race, Crime, and Citizenship in American Law

Malick W. Ghachem Seminar HASS-S
21H.320

Gender and the Law in US History

Not offered regularly; consult department
Christopher Capozzola Seminar HASS-H
21H.322

Christianity in America

Craig Steven Wilder Seminar HASS-H
21H.352 21G.042

Three Kingdoms: From History to Fiction, Comic, Film, and Game

TR 1-2:30, 14E-310
Emma Teng Seminar HASS-H
21H.381 WGS.222

Women and War

F 10-1, 2-103
Lerna Ekmekcioglu Seminar HASS-S
21H.385 11.152

The Ghetto: From Venice to Harlem

MW 3:30-5, 4-261
Craig Steven Wilder Seminar HASS-S
21H.388 U 21H.988 G

Global Commodities, American Dreams

W 2-5, E51-390
Megan A. Black Graduate
Seminar
HASS-H
21H.984 STS.414

Risk, Fortune, and Futurity

W 10-1, E51-393
Caley Horan
Will Deringer
Graduate