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| Semester | spring semester 2019 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Cassandra Thiesen-Mark (cassandra.mark@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This course will explore debates in the historiography of Africa concerning colonial science and technical knowledge in the arena of agriculture. Because the language and practices of science and technology often did much to reinforce the relationship of power and authority between rulers and ruled, many Africanists have been very critical of the contributions of these foreign experts and their legacy. Others have questioned the employment of the title "expert" to a colonial sphere alone. But what exactly did these encounters look like on the ground? When was local knowledge taken seriously? And under what circumstances were local experts actually acknowledged as informant? We can be certain that top-down and coercive planning occurred. But what about more collaborative approach to agricultural design and operation? Students will regularly work with primary sources. |
| Bibliography | Literature includes: William Beinart, Karen Brown and Daniel Gilfoyle, Experts and Expertise in Colonial Africa Reconsidered: Science and the Interpretation of Knowledge, 2009. Paul Richards, Indigenous Agricultural Revolution: Ecology and food production in West Africa, 1985. John McCracken, ‘Experts and expertise in colonial Malawi’, African Affairs 81, 322 (1982), pp. 101–16. Michael Adas, Machines as the Measure of Men: Science, technology, and ideologies of Western dominance, 1989. |
| Admission requirements | Studierende der Geschichte und der African Studies, sowie Studierende weiterer Studienfächer, in deren Module die Übung verknüpft ist. Bei Überbelegung wird die Teilnehmerzahl beschränkt. In diesem Fall werden Studierende der Geschichte bevorzugt zugelassen. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|
No dates available. Please contact the lecturer.
| Modules |
Electives Bachelor History: Recommendations (Bachelor's degree subject: History) Modul: Areas: Afrika (Master's degree program: European History in Global Perspective) Modul: Areas: aussereuropäisch (Master's degree program: European History (Start of studies before 01.08.2018)) Modul: Fields: Environment and Development (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul: Fields: Governance and Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul: Fields: Knowledge Production and Transfer (Master's degree program: African Studies) Modul: Profil: Geschichte Afrikas (Master's degree program: European History (Start of studies before 01.08.2018)) Modul: Profil: Moderne (Master's degree program: European History (Start of studies before 01.08.2018)) Wahlbereich Master Geschichte: Empfehlungen (Master's degree subject: History) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Active participartion. Students will analyze primary sources extensively as part of this course. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Departement Geschichte |