HIS 232 Imperialism and Nationalism in Asia and Africa

This course examines Western imperialism and the nationalistic responses of colonized peoples in order to understand the past and relate it to the present. It examines the British Raj or rule in India as a case study of how imperial rule is imposed and maintained, and the Indian independence movement (especially but not exclusively as led by Mahatma Gandhi) as a model of colonial resistance. The course then examines the different imperial systems Europe imposed on Africa, the struggle by African colonies for self-determination, and the search for identity and stability by newly independent African nations. Included in this last discussion is an exploration of democratic systems as a political solution for countries dealing with the legacy of imperialism.