Of Pen and Power: Writing Political Francophone Africa

Writing is a political act. Taking this as a premise, we will examine the extent to which political writing has affected political change in French-speaking Africa from the colonial era to the present. The course will be based on readings in both political science and Francophone African literature, and it will investigate the connections between political practices and political writings. Topics will include anti-colonial struggles, dictatorships on trial, neo-colonialism and democratic challenges, civil strife, women’s agency, and African resilience. The course will be conducted in French. (FREN 0221) 3 hrs. sem.