History and Culture Course IIz/IIIz + p: Colonialism and Neocolonialism in Francophone Countries 3304-1DZXW-KK-22
The course offers an interdisciplinary perspective on the history of French and Belgian colonisation from the 17th century to the present, engaging with both classical historical sources and diverse cultural materials: documentary films, video recordings, music, reportage, photographs, memes, podcasts, arts, and graphic novels. Attention will also be given to new forms of digital narratives on social media, which serve as tools of resistance, activism, and decolonial critique.
The classes focus on how formerly colonised peoples reinterpret their history, memory, and symbolic space. Postcolonial, decolonial, and ecofeminist perspectives will be considered, emphasizing the relationship between power, the body, land, and the natural environment. Special attention will be paid to how Francophone communities use language, art, and media to expose contemporary forms of domination, economic dependency, structural racism, and the exploitation of natural resources.
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
- to possess extensive knowledge of the history and geography of the Francophone world and can identify key locations on the world map;
- to structure knowledge of major historical, political, economic, and cultural processes that shaped French colonies and their relations with the metropole;
- to identify various forms of neocolonialism in the contemporary Francophone world;
- to understand basic postcolonial, decolonial, and ecofeminist concepts.
K_U03, K_U04, K_U05:
- to recognise different types of cultural artefacts (language, literature, art) and conduct critical analysis and interpretation using standard methodologies;
- to read, interpret, and analyse selected cultural texts, historical sources, documents, travel accounts, and audiovisual materials;
- to use various information sources and employ techniques of searching, selecting, and critically analysing data necessary for active participation in class.
- to acknowledge the importance of the history of colonisation in shaping the contemporary globalised world, with particular attention to neocolonial abuses;
- to demonstrate sensitivity to the experiences, mentalities, and perspectives of (neo)colonised societies and cultures;
- to develop an awareness of the complexity of relations between Europe and former colonial territories and can critically analyse phenomena of cultural domination, structural racism, and environmental exploitation;
- to understand the significance of local artistic, digital, and media production as tools of social and ecological resistance.
Assessment criteria
- two tests,
- oral examination during the exam session,
- attendance and active participation in class,
- two absences are permitted (additional absences require an extra test).
Details concerning each component will be provided during the first session of the course.
Bibliography
Malcom Ferdinand, Une écologie décoloniale, Paris, Seuil, 2019.
Françoise Vergès, Pour un féminisme décolonial, Paris, La Fabrique, 2019.
Louisa Yousfi, Rester barbare, Paris, La Fabrique, 2022.
Dalie Giroux, L’œil du maître. Figures de l’imaginaire colonial québécois, Montréal, Mémoire d’encrier, 2020.
Pierre Singaravélou, Karim Miské, Marc Ball et Simon Pannetrat (dessins), Décolonisations, Paris, Seuil, 2020.
Histoire crépue
Diacritik
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: