The course aims at giving the students both a brief overview of African history as well as an in-depth understanding of the historical connections between the African continent and the rest of the world from c. 1500 until the present.

The course will particularly emphasize the cultural, political and religious interconnections between Eastern Africa and Africa south of the Sahara on the one side, and the Western World and the Middle East on the other. There will be a special emphasis on lasting internal structures versus successive external influences.

The course can be taken independently, or as part of the bachelor program in History, or as part of the line of study "History of the Middle East" within the bachelor program in History.

Knowledge

At the completion of the course, the student has advanced knowledge of some central themes from African history. The student has a critical awareness of the various scholarly views, explanations and theories concerning Africa's global connections, as well as central questions of methodology and source problems.

Skills

The student can discuss important problems in African history after c. 1500, using relevant academic terminology and discuss the historical presentation of it. The student is able to analyze historical literature and/or sources and draw independent conclusions on the basis of this analysis.

General competencies

The student is able to access an extensive academic literature, present knowledge and viewpoints from it, and to discuss historical problems in written form.