African History and Institutions

A.Y. 2025/2026
6
Max ECTS
40
Overall hours
SSD
SPS/13
Language
English
Learning objectives
Boaventura de Sousa Santos denounces the "unspeakable abyssal line" projected by theoretical thinking in the global North that reproduces a persistent distinction between metropolitan and colonial societies: it is a sort of invisible, hegemonic concept outlined along the last five centuries dividing the World into the two sides of the line. The "Northern universalisms" and the concepts descending from it (modernity, rights, democracy ) are based on the realities on this side of the line, leaving the other side of the line invisible. Such an exclusion - says Santos - is such that "what happens there does not compromise the universality of our ideas ( )": such a persistent Western-centric conception of humanity is consistent with its counter-concept of sub-humanity (a set of human groups that are not fully human, be they slaves, women, indigenous peoples, migrant workers, Muslims).
Such a line is recalled in sub-Saharan Africa, with particular emphasis in South Africa, in the extremely interesting debate on the decolonisation of knowledge underway: this is a topic involving students, teachers and intellectuals, rooted in the protest "Rhodes must fall", and connected to the old discourse "Decolonising the mind" (1967) engaged by Ngugi Wa Thiong'o. This line is evident both in "developmentalist" attitudes of sub-Saharan African (SSA) leaders, and the shocking reactions towards the integration of African immigrants in European societies. So, such discourse only apparently can be limited to one Country in the extreme South of Africa. It should be framed in a wider discourse about "post-coloniality", its meaning and its transmission in the education programs on both sides of the line, instead: deeply affected, as it is, by the permanent equation modernity=colonialism.
Challenging concepts - such as modernity, development and their sustainability - will be deepened via African sources/scholars, in historical key, to understand better the policies pursued by the African states, in the framework of international relations and "development aid".
Passing through the interpretations of Cooper and of the Comaroffs, challenging concepts - such as modernity, development, post-working era and their sustainability - will be analyzed in their historical depth.
Expected learning outcomes
The aim of the interview is to assess the methodological and critical skills acquired by the student. In particular, it will assess the students' ability to use literature and to reason on the debates in course and those developed during the classes.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Course syllabus
IUD/ The first phase of the first teaching unit aims to reach a standard level of basic knowledge of African history (5 lessons). In the second phase, with the help of some essays shared with the class, the colonial impact on the concept of modernity and development will be discussed with particular attention to the use of natural resources during colonial and decolonization processes (5 lessons).
II UD / The first phase of the second teaching unit consists in the analysis of the transition from decolonization to the development of sub-Saharan Africa, including the intriguing challenge of the so-called "decolonization of the mind" and knowledge (5 lessons); the second phase consists in the discussion of the hypotheses of neocolonialism and/or developmentism following independence, Proposals for presentations by attending students between national policies, democratizations and resource management will be highly appreciated (5 lessons)
AAA: BA Erasmus students have a different programme (see reference materials)
Prerequisites for admission
It is recommended, although not compulsory, to have some knowledge of modern and contemporary history and/or of the history of international relations from 1400 onwards.
Teaching methods
Taught class; discussion after readings about some specific case studies to be compared; movie projection and debates. Lessons can be shared in collaboration with experts, if available, during the course period. Forums following the projection of films and documentaries, posted on the MyAriel course website, are part of the evaluation for attending students.
Teaching Resources
Slides of the presentations are shared via the website: https://myariel.unimi.it/course/view.php?id=6944 (FOR ATTENDING STUDENTS ONLY).

· R. J. Reid (2019), A HISTORY OF MODERN AFRICA: 1800 TO THE PRESENT, Wiley-Blackwell 2nd Edition
· F. Cooper (2019), AFRICA SINCE 1940: THE PAST OF THE PRESENT, 2nd Ed., Cambridge U.P.
· The use of maps is highly recommended.
2nd DU:
Attending students can substitute the following chapters with a presentation based on a selected bibliography agreed with the professor.
The other attending students will take the exam 3 Chapters / African Case-studies from:
· M. Mamdani, (2020) NEITHER SETTLER NOR NATIVE: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities, Harvard University Press
· M. Mamdani (1996) CITIZEN AND SUBJECT. CONTEMPORARY AFRICA AND THE LEGACY OF LATE COLONIALISM, Princeton University Press
· E. Hunter (eds.) (2016) CITIZENSHIP, BELONGING, AND POLITICAL COMMUNITY IN AFRICA: DIALOGUES BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT, Ohio University Press.
· N. Cheeseman and J. Fisher (2020) AUTHORITARIAN AFRICA, African World Histories

BA Erasmus attending students only:
· Lessons' contents (I UD Slides of the course)
· Reid R. J. (2019), A HISTORY OF MODERN AFRICA: 1800 TO THE PRESENT, Wiley-Blackwell 2nd Edition
· M. Mamdani, (2020) NEITHER SETTLER NOR NATIVE: The Making and Unmaking of Permanent Minorities, Harvard University Press (3 chapters for ATTENDING Erasmus students, 5 for NONATTENDING Erasmus students).
Assessment methods and Criteria
NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS have a greater bibliographic load to compensate for the attendance of the course and related teaching materials exclusively required of attending students. The program for attending BA Erasmus students has specific characteristics (see Programs). The final evaluation consists of an oral exam of three questions. The first is free choice. It is usually based on the readings indicated in the program for the II UD, but students can choose different topics with the teacher. The other two questions concern the rest of the program (the course program run in the classroom and basic texts), excluding the texts selected for the IIDU, if discussed before. For ATTENDING STUDENTS, the topic of their choice and the specific bibliography for the II teaching unit can be replaced with a presentation on any topic related to the management of resources in the post-colonial period, on an academic bibliography agreed in advance with the teacher, to be presented in the last lessons, and open to class debate. In particular, the student's ability to actively participate in class discussions will be evaluated.
SPS/13 - AFRICAN HISTORY AND INSTITUTIONS - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor: Fiamingo Cristiana
Professor(s)
Reception:
The professor receives students at the end of the lessons or by appointment e-mailing to [email protected] to organize a Ms-Teams call or an in-presence meeting, if necessary.
Ist floor, room 10, via Conservatorio 7