History of North Africa

This course offers a critical history of the northern African continent on its own terms. Named by others as Ifriqiya, Barbaria, al-Maghrib al-Aqsa, and the Southern Mediterranean, we will examine these conventional framings of the regions history and place them alongside histories of the region produced by its own people. This course will span from antiquities to the modern period, covering the themes of empire, slavery, political economy, race, culture, and society, among others. We will encounter a number of notable figures, spanning from General Hannibal to Zinedine Zidane. Students will engage with material from within and beyond the region, including both primary and secondary sources. From the Roman Empire to the American Revolution to World War II and beyond, we will consider how North Africa shaped and was shaped by pivotal historical moments.