Week 2: Writing African History

Required readingsLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window

Binyavanga Wainaina, ‘How to Write about Africa’Link opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, Granta 92 (2006).

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, 'The danger of a single story',Link opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window TEDGlobal 2009.

Richard Reid, A History of Modern Africa: 1800 to the Present (Oxford, 2012) Please Read chapter 1: The introduction: 'Understanding the Contours of Africa's Past' and also the maps (see 'List of maps' for pages). The pages for the physical copy and e-book are different. eBook available via The LibraryLink opens in a new window

Seminar questions

1. How has Africa's past and present been represented and understood in the West?

2. What kind of sources do historians use to research African history?

3. How should issues of race and gender be tackled in the research and writing of African history?

Further Readings (on Talis)