HIST 1702A: History of the Global South, 1850 to the present
Winter 2024
Instructor: Professor Hussam Ahmed
Course Description:
Foregrounding non-Eurocentric experiences, in this course we will explore the history of the Global South from 1850 to the present day. How did peoples in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East challenge colonial domination, and how do they continue to struggle to have voice and power on the world stage? To emphasize the diversity of what they thought and did in their engagement with different forms of imperialism and global capitalism, we will examine the political, economic, and social transformations that have shaped the countries and regions of the Global South. We will explore themes such as colonialism, nationalist movements, decolonization, migration, and the ongoing struggles for economic and political autonomy. We will also pay particular attention to south-south exchanges and efforts by peoples from the Global South to organize themselves and collectively advance their own goals in world orders dominated by the Global North. Rather than attempting to provide an exhaustive history of the Global South in this period, each week will focus on a particular topic in selected geographical areas in order to explore larger trends that have defined this history.
Organization:
Two-hour lectures and one-hour discussion groups.