HIST 3284 - Popular Culture in African History

Credit Hours: 3

Description: This course will examine modern history of Africa through popular culture. It will investigate the rise and evolution of popular culture in Africa from the mid-nineteenth century to the present day. It will explore the social and cultural contexts in which influential forms of popular culture emerged—with particular attention to popular music, fashion, film, political cartoons, and street art—and analyze their impact on issues of gender, class, colonialism, and ethnic identity. In addition, it will consider audience and critical reactions to popular culture and appraise how popular cultural forms have impacted the post-colonial political landscape on the continent. Finally, it will evaluate the ways in which popular culture has been used to both advance and contest the dominant political narratives in African politics and assess the degree to which popular culture has served as a democratizing agent.