Revolution & Decolonization in North Africa HIS 306N(38390)/MES 310 (41065) Spring 2016 Professor Benjamin C. Brower Office: Garrison 3.204 Email: [email protected] Office Hours:, T Th 1-2pm, and by Class Meeting Times: 9:30 a.m.-11:00 appointment a.m. T Th Telephone: 512-475-6813 Meeting Place: PAR 301 COURSE DESCRIPTION: This class addresses the history of anti-colonial struggles in North Africa and the victory over European colonial powers. These struggles gained momentum after World War II, leading to the independence of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya in the 1950s and 60s. Coursework will seek to explain the various processes by which independence was achieved, looking at local circumstances as well as the larger regional (Africa, Middle East, and Europe) and global (Cold War, Third World, oil resources) contexts. The course will also present the complex nature of the armed struggle: wars against the colonial powers unleashed a fury of conflicts, or wars within wars, some of which were not immediately tied to the colonial/anti-colonial struggle. Our study will conclude by highlighting the many successes of these revolutions as well as pointing to their problematic legacies, which serve as the backdrop to today’s revolutions and civil wars in the region. Students will examine all these questions through sources that will include films, photographs, political propaganda texts, and memoires. COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students will learn the skills of critical analysis and interpretation, along with the empirical material associated with the time period itself, including primary sources. Skills will focus on the ability to grasp the complexity of historical debates and rethink received understandings and concepts in light of new evidence. Coursework and evaluations will focus on students’ ability to marshal evidence to articulate coherent and sustained arguments in writing and verbally. There are no pre-requisites beyond those generally associated with a course of this level. REQUIRED TEXTS: You will need to purchase the following books (order placed at University Coop), or use reserve copies in the Perry-Castañeda Library. Some titles are also available electronically through the library catalog. 1. Hamou Amirouche, Memoirs of a Mujahid, Algeria’s Struggle for Freedom, 1945-1962 ISBN-10: 069231167X 2. Martin Evans, Algeria, France’s Undeclared War (Oxford University Press; 1 edition (March 22, 2013) ISBN-10: 0199669031 3. Franz Fanon, Wretched of the Earth Grove Press; Reprint edition (March 12, 2005) ISBN-10: 0802141323 4. Albert Memmi, The Colonizer and the Colonized Beacon Press; Expanded edition (July 8, 1991) ISBN-10: 0807003018 BROWER 1 5. Albert Camus, The Stranger (Vintage (March 13, 1989) ISBN-10: 0679720200 6. Kamel Daoud, The Meursault Investigation (Other Press; 1 edition (June 2, 2015) ISBN- 10: 1590517512 ASSIGNMENTS: • Exams: There will be two exams. Both will consist of analytical ID’s and full essays. A list of potential ID’s and questions will be distributed beforehand to prepare for the exams. (See below for exam dates.) • Student-led teaching unit: Working in teams, students will lead one full course meeting. In this meeting they will present a complete teaching unit covering a pre- assigned text, film, event, political movement, or historical context. Students will present a lecture with all the relevant facts, include supplementary teaching materials, and provide analysis and interpretation. They will then lead an informed discussion among their colleagues. (Full instructions and dates provided separately.) • Participation: This portion of the grade will be calculated based on participation in discussions and attendance (see below for details). All students are expected to be prepared for discussions. This means having completed the assigned readings and coming with questions to pose that we can work through as a group. Shyness is understandable, but it is not an excuse for failing to participate. See me to discuss strategies to effectively make your voice heard. Grades: Midterm 25% Final Exam 25% Teaching Unit 25% Participation 25% Plus/Minus grading will be used for all grading in this course. The grade scale is as follows: 100-94% = A; 93-90% = A- ; 89-87% = B+ ; 86-84% = B ; 83-80% = B- ; 79-77% = C+ ; 76-74% = C ; 73-70% = C- ; 69-67% = D+ ; 66-64% = D ; 63-60% = D- ; below 60% = F. (Grades will be rounded to whole numbers as follows: .5 and greater will be rounded up; .4 and lower will be rounded down.) Note, Assessing Participation Grades: • A range — excellent attendance (at most 2 unexcused absences) AND frequent contributions to discussions. These contributions show that the student has full fluency and thorough understanding of the assigned texts/film and can make logical connections to the course themes. The student is attentive and respectful of others. • B range — excellent attendance (at most 2 unexcused absences) AND frequent contributions that reflect a good understanding of the assigned materials. The student is attentive and respectful of others. • C range — good attendance (at most 3 unexcused absences), but scattered contributions to discussions and/or ones that show poor preparation ; OR poor attendance (more than 3 absences) but excellent contributions to discussions. The student is attentive and respectful when listening to others. • D range — poor attendance (more than 3 unexcused absences) AND scattered contributions to discussions or ones that show poor preparation. The student demeans others’ contributions. BROWER 2 • F— poor attendance (more than 3 unexcused absences) AND never contributes to discussions. The student demeans the contributions of others. Course Rules and Etiquette: • Be on time; get permission if you need to leave early. • Laptops are to be used only for taking notes. • No use of cell phones. • If you would like the record the lectures, please see me first. All lectures are proprietary material. Attendance: • Please familiarize yourself with the University’s policy concerning excused absences. Unexcused absences will impinge upon your final grade as specified above in the participation grade. • You are responsible individually for keeping track of your absences; final attendance will only be tallied once, at the end of the semester. • Religious Holy Days: By University policy, please notify me of your pending absence about two weeks prior to the anticipated date of observance of religious holy days. If you miss a class, an examination, or an assignment, for religious observance, I will give you an opportunity to complete the missed work within a reasonable time after the absence. University of Texas Honor Code The core values of The University of Texas at Austin are learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility. Each member of the university is expected to uphold these values through integrity, honesty, trust, fairness, and respect toward peers and community. All work for this course will be that of the student and original contributions. When I suspect plagiarism or cheating, I militantly pursue cases through the office of Student Judicial Services. Disabilities The University of Texas at Austin provides accommodations for students with disabilities. Contact Services for Students with Disabilities at 512-471-6259 or 512-232-2937 (video phone). BROWER 3 TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF CLASS MEETINGS (Subject to Revisions and Changes) Week One: Jan. 19/21 Tues, Course Introduction Thurs, Outlines of Modern North Africa Read: Evans, Algeria chpts 1-3 Week Two: Jan. 26/28 Tues., Making a Colonial Society: New Directions Thurs., The Colonial Reform Movements Read: Camus, The Stranger Week Three: Feb. 2/4 Tues., Student-led section: Camus The Stranger Thurs., World War Two and Decolonization Read: Evans, Algeria chpts 4-5 Week Four: Feb. 9/11 Tues., Morocco and Tunisia, Lead and/or Ballots Thurs., Armed Struggle Begins in Algeria Read: Amirouche, Memoirs pp. 1-200 Week Five: Feb. 16/18 Tues., Student-led section: Cast of Characters, Biographies of Important Figures Thurs., Ideology of Decolonization Read: Amirouche, Memoirs pp. 201-end; Evans, Algeria chpt 6 Week Six: Feb. 23/25 Tues., The War Years, 1954-56 Thurs., Student-led section: Amirouche Read: Memmi, Colonizer and the Colonized Week Seven: Mar. 1/3 Tues., Student-led section, Albert Memmi, Colonizer and the Colonized Thurs., Settler Society and Politics Read: None (Exam preparation) Week Eight: Mar. 8/10 Tues., Review Thurs., ***MIDTERM EXAM*** BROWER 4 Week Nine: Mar. 15/17 Spring Break Watch: “Battle of Algiers”; Read: Evans, Algeria chpt 7 Week Ten: Mar. 22/24 Tues., Soummam Thurs., Student-led section, Pontecorvo, “Battle of Algiers” Read: Franz Fanon, Wretched of the Earth Week Eleven: Mar. 29/31 Tues., Student-led section Franz Fanon, Wretched of the Earth Thurs., Maghreb and the Third World Watch: “Mon Colonel”; Read: Henri Alleg, The Question (selections) Week Twelve: Apr. 5/7 Tues., Student-led section, “Mon Colonel,” Revolutionary and Counter-Revolutionary Warfare, Torture Thurs., 13 May 1958: France at War with Itself Read: Evans, Algeria chpt 8 Week Thirteen: Apr. 12/14 Tues., FLN Crisis, Authoritarianism Thurs., Regroupment Camps and the Harki Watch: Day of the Jackal; Read: Evans, Algeria chpts 9-10 Week Fourteen: Apr. 19/21 Tues., Student-led section, “Day of the Jackal” and the OAS Thurs., Transfer of Power Read: Daoud, The Meursault Investigation; Evans, Algeria chpt 11 Week Fifteen: Apr. 26/28 Memory and Legacy Tues., Student-led section Daoud, The Meursault Investigation Thurs., The Free Maghreb and the Future Read: Exam preparation Week Sixteen: May 3/5 Tues., Review Thurs., ***END OF TERM EXAM*** BROWER 5 .