Diseases and the Making of West African Cities, 1860 - 2020

The course explores the impact of disease outbreaks on spaces, economics, and power relations in West Africa from the 1860s' yellow fever outbreak to COVID-19 in 2020. The course investigates Europeans' racialization of Africans through disease control programs, examines the intricate interventions of international governmental and non-governmental organizations in African health crises, and explores independent African governments' responses to disease outbreaks in the postcolonial period. We will use archival records, maps, and visuals to study outbreaks in West African cities.