Admission requirements
Required course(s):
Completion of at least two 100-level elective courses.
Description
We are living in a world which has been shaped by histories of slavery and colonialism. These histories have impacted on patterns of inequality and still influence many people’s lives. In this course we study these histories, how they are told, and how they are being addressed today.
What does it mean to be colonised? How does living in a colonised society shape how people will think and behave? Such questions have inspired postcolonial studies, a vibrant and interdisciplinary field of research. Studying works from this field, we will trace the ways in which colonial empires were built and improvised and see how they would shape interactions and mentalities, both here in Europe and in the areas that would be defined as colonies.
Within that arena, we will focus our inquiry on the period from the late 19th century onwards, when characteristic aspects of colonial and postcolonial societies came into being. We will probe the historical transformations, political imperatives, and cultural rationales that shaped the experience of colonialism and its aftermath. This will give us tools for examining how legacies of slavery and empire are represented in public spaces and debates in contemporary Europe.
Course Objectives
By successfully completing this course, students are expected to have obtained:
Greater proficiency in the skills of:
Communicating well in speaking and in writing,
Presenting your ideas in a clear and engaging way,
Collaborating effectively with people from various backgrounds,
Reflecting, specifically on how colonial legacies shape contemporary societies,
Researching and analysing, by applying concepts and theory on the colonial and postcolonial to a current debate or phenomenon,
Certain forms of knowledge, as shown in the ability to:
Explain how colonial histories shape opportunities for differently situated people,
Think creatively and sensibly about how narratives of the past can be altered to allow for a larger share of citizens to find themselves represented in them, and
Describe how colonial legacies impact on capabilities for civic and political action to address societal challenges, and how these capabilities can be strengthened.
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2024-2025 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
The course is taught interactively. In the first block, a lecture will be given in the first session of the week while the second will be devoted primarily to class discussion. On a weekly basis, students will be expected to write a reflection about the readings, to be posted on the Wednesday. In class, you will be expected to participate actively based on your reading of the core texts while also drawing on your own prior experiences and insights. The classroom will be facilitated as a space for listening, reflecting, and building knowledge in ways that signal respect for everyone’s backgrounds.
Early in the first block, each student will pick a site that represents an aspect of a colonial past – whether through the naming of a street, square or neighbourhood, a statue, monument or building, a museum, or an exhibition. Doing further research into the person(s) or events represented there, you will write a paper or make a video or website on how that representation came to exist and how it can be interpreted. During the course we will also go for one or two excursions to sites in The Netherlands where representations of colonial pasts are on display.
In the second block, students will work in groups to explore how the postcolonial world manifests, focusing on situations in The Netherlands and/or our regional neighbourhood. Students will submit a project proposal and subsequently present your project ideas for discussion with the rest of the class. During the following month or so, you will delve more deeply into the topic of your project, including by collecting data. To present your findings, you will jointly make a video or podcast, and write an account of the methodology you used accompanied by a bibliography.
Assessment Method
Reflections: 35%
Individual project: 30%
Group project: 35%
Reading list
The readings will be made available upon commencement of the course.
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. Ingrid Samset, i.samset@luc.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
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