Subject - “African Civilization” (5 ECTS) - Online Bachelor of Science in Inter-African Business (first semester).
The objectives of the subject “African Civilization” are...
To understand the role of Africa in the history of humanity
To study the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its impact on the African, European, and American development
To analyze the socio-economic effects of colonization and independence on the African Countries
To know the most influential African Historians
To analyze the African population trends (in 25 years, 25% of the world's population will be African)
To understand the concept of “African demographic dividend”
To analyze the African Diaspora in America and its current relations with Africa
Note: There are scholars, especially in the West, who prefer not to
consider the existence of an African Civilization. Our point of view is quite the opposite: we believe that there is indeed one or more African civilizations or sub-Civilizations, a point of view shared by almost all the African historians. Also, we must never forget that Africa is the cradle of humanity and from Africa, Homo Sapiens colonized the world.
We want to be part of this African renaissance and collaborate to
explain to the world the fundamental role that Africa has, have and will have in the history of humanity. Thus, within this subject on the African Civilization, a series of topics have been developed in the history of Africa, African historians, slave trade, African Diaspora... That allows understanding better the African reality.
ECTS = European Transfer and Accumulation System
CECT = Credit of Capitalisable and Transferable Evaluation (CAMES)
Syllabus of the Program: Introduction to the African Civilization.
African continent
Geography of Africa
African ethnic groups
The main African languages: English, French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili
Spanish is the official language of the African Union and Equatorial Guinea
Syllabus of the Program: The Leading role of Africa in the history.
Africa: the cradle of humanity
From the Pro-Consul to Homo Sapiens
The first African revolution: the first hominoid (Proconsul)
Second African revolution: the genus Homo
Third African revolution (and fundamental): Homo Sapiens
Colonization of the world by Homo Sapiens
Conclusions
Syllabus of the Program: African Civilization and Ancient Egypt (Sheikh Anta Diop).
Pharaonic Egypt's membership to the universe of Black Africa
Cultural arguments: linguistic, writing, architectural, handicrafts,
musical instruments, art, technology
Sociological arguments: matriarchy, totemism, religion, philosophy, the transmission of knowledge (ceremonies of initiation)
Anthropological arguments: the blackness of the Egyptians, physical anthropology, molecular biology, iconography
Syllabus of the Program: Transatlantic Slave Trade (Africa)
The transatlantic slave trade (men, women, and children):
a crime against humanity.
1- Introduction to the slave trade
Role of the UNESCO. Project: the slave route
Introduction to the slave trade in the Arab-Muslim world
Trafficking in the Indian Ocean
Slavery as an “institution”
2- Transatlantic slave trade
Slave routes
Why African slaves?
Transatlantic slave trade and its impact on the African, European, and American development
3- Similarities and differences between the various forms of the slave trade
History of Slavery in Africa
Moral dimensions of the slave trade
Transatlantic Slave Trade
Slave trade between the 16th and 18th centuries
4- Revolts of the slaves
5. Abolitionist movements. Abolition of slavery.
Quakers, William Wilberforce.
The case of abolition in Santo Domingo
Haitian Revolution
Prohibitions on the slave trade
Abolitionist decrees
End of Slavery
From the abolition of slavery to colonization
Abolition by country
Abolition of the slave trade (UNESCO)
6- Post-slavery societies in America.
African Diaspora in the Americas
Creation of the identity
Contributions to society: music (jazz), language, science,
religion.
Racist theories
Socio-psychological consequences
7. Slavery in a globalized World
Conventions that prohibit the slavery
Supplementary Convention on the Abolition of Slavery
Slavery Today
New Forms of Slavery
8- Quakers:
Introduction to Quakerism (Religious Society of Friends)
George Fox and William Penn
Ethical Principles of Quakers
Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the Quakers
The Quakers and the Abolition of Slavery
9 - William Wilberforce.
The British Anglican abolitionist William Wilberforce
Crucial Role of William Wilberforce in the Struggle against Slavery
10- Victor Schoelcher
The French Catholic humanist and abolitionist Victor Schoelcher
His role in the abolition of slavery
Bibliography: UNESCO General History of Africa.
Syllabus of the Program: Africa under colonial domination
Introduction to Colonization of Africa
Africa in 1880: the African kings rule 80% of Africa
Africa in 1914: only two countries, Ethiopia and
Liberia, were not colonized
Military conquest of Africa by the imperialist powers
Western colonial settlement
African attitude
Resistance of the African people
New African economic and social system
African Demographic Transformations
Bibliography: UNESCO General History of Africa.
Syllabus of the Program: Decolonization and independence of the African Countries. Africa after 1935.
African Decolonization Process
Independence of the African Countries
The Second World War and Africa
Role of the African Political Parties
New African policy
Decolonization movements
Underdevelopment
African agriculture
Construction of the African nations
Civil wars, coups d'état..
Bibliography: history General of Africa of the UNESCO
Syllabus of the Program: African historians.
Sheikh Anta Diop and the African Renaissance
The Senegalese Muslim historian Sheikh Anta Diop
Relations between the Egyptian civilization and Black Africa
Concept of the African renaissance of Sheikh Anta Diop