Admission requirements
-
Description
There have always been connections between Europe and Africa, and there has always been migration. In this course we study these migrations and connections. We look at the novelists who travelled through Africa in the nineteenth century, the explorers, the European immigrants and the missionaries, but also at the current expats of the major multinationals (Shell, Unilever). We combine this with a study of Africans in Europe: the few who came before the twentieth century, and the larger numbers who came in recent decades. We study the ties of all these migrants with each other and with their countries of origin, and the organisations they created (enterprises, churches). After an introduction into the literature students do research based on primary sources: newspaper articles, novels, interviews, visual material (photos, paintings, cartoons), government publications and business archives.
Course objectives
Course objectives are:
The ability to independently identify and select sources (from ‘classic’ archives to life histories and interviews)
The ability to independently formulate a clear and well-argued research question
The ability to analyze and evaluate literature and sources for the purpose of producing an original scholarly argument
The ability to interpret a corpus of sources
Knowledge and comprehension of the specialisations Migration and Global Interdependence and its historiography specifically:
- The manner in which migrations (of people, goods and ideas) between and within states have led to shifts (in cohesion, ethnic composition, policies, imaging, culture, and power relations) in the period 1750-2014.
- The interdisciplinary approach (application of theories and methods from social sciences), the comparative perspective (diachronic and synchronic) and working with a large variety of primary sources;
Specific objectives:
Familiarize with some key debates in the field of migration, transnationalism, socio-economic networks, and institutions.
Learn how to analyse and contextualise a historical discussion.
Learn how to discuss and analyse such a debate succinctly.
Learn how examine primary sources.
Learn how to write a research note in which primary sources are related to a historical discussion.
Extra course objectives for Res Master Students:
The ability to interpret a potentially complex corpus of sources
The ability to identify new approaches within existing academic debates
Knowledge of the interdisciplinary aspects of the specialisation
Timetable
Mode of instruction
- Seminar
Course Load
Total:(280 hours)
Writing paper: 98 hours.
Attendence: 28 hours.
Preparing for class/reading literature: 48 hours.
Preparing presentations: 16 hours.
Research: 90 hours.
Assessment method
- A Research note of 7000 words (70%) demonstrating the following skills:
The ability to independently identify and select literature
The ability to give a clear written report of the research results in English.
The ability to link research results to historiographical debates on migration, transnationalism, institutions and socialeconomic networks.
The ability to independently identify and select sources
The ability to independently formulate a clear and well-argued research question
The ability to analyze and evaluate literature and sources for the purpose of producing an original scholarly argument
The ability to interpret a corpus of sources
- Two Presentations (20%), demonstrating the following skills:
The ability to give a clear oral report on the research results in English
The ability to link research result to a historiographical debate
The abilitiy to apply source criticism
- Participation in class discussion (10%), demonstrating the following skills:
Active participation in the discussion of the literature and the work in progress of other students.
The ability to provide constructive academic feedback
The final grade for the course is established by determining the weighted average of the above assessments.
Additional requirements for the ResMa students: The paper has to be based on more extensive archival research or research based on primary sources. The student has to show (especially in the paper) innovative insights.
‘Should the overall mark be unsatisfactory, the paper is to be revised after consultation with the teacher.’
Blackboard
Blackboard is used for this course:
Information
Admit assignments
Reading list
We will use articles that can be downloaded from the university library. The list will be distributed at the first meeting.
Registration
via uSis
Contact
mw. Prof. dr. Schrover
mw. Prof.dr. M.E. de Bruijn