This course will examine the African experience and its diasporic extension in transoceanic and comparative historical frameworks. The course will encourage students to challenge preconceived notions that are attributed to African and Afro-descendant societies. Understanding the diversity of African cultures requires that we decolonize history, and reconsider Eurocentric assumptions about the nature of society, politics, and the identity inherited from European models and the Atlantic slave trade. Due to the complexity and size of the African continent, as well as the diversity of its diaspora, the course is not intended to cover the whole of African history. We will examine race, gender, and religion as central issues in precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial contexts for both the continent and its diasporic peripheries. The course aims to study the connections between African cultures and their refraction in Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, Brazil and the United States. We will also examine historical events, including the impact of missionaries, the transatlantic slave trade and large-scale slavery, that led to the creation of a forced diaspora and the breakdown of traditional African thought on the continent and its refraction in the diaspora.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. demonstrate an understanding of the diverse cultural milieu throughout Africa and its diaspora;
2. analyse primary and secondary sources and explore the relationship between text and context;
3. demonstrate understanding of the analytical vocabulary, methodologies and forms of evidence (including documentation, oral history, photographs, and songs) necessary to comprehend an African and Afro-descendant society;
4. demonstrate critical analysis of popular and conventional understandings of Africa and learn to question Eurocentric approaches; and
5. examine key historiographical debates in African and Afro-descendants history.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Appeals

If you genuinely believe you have received an inappropriate or incorrect result, you are entitled to apply for a review of your grade. This must be done within 20 working days of the formal notification of your result for that particular piece of coursework. Your first point of contact should always be the course convenor. See ANU’s Assessment Rules 2.12 for further information.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Introducing Africa and Afrodescendants in Global History
2	Legacy of the Classic Empires: Kemet, Songhai, Ashante
3	Kongo Kingdom: Christianising Bakongo´souls
4	Gender in Dahomey and Yoruba societies
5	Atlantic Slave Trade and the modernity of the enslaved subject	Source Report_30.08.2022
6	Saint Domingue/ Haiti: First Black Revolution sealed by Voodoo
7	Brasil, between Candomblé and Quranic schools
8	Calabar in Cuba: Abakuá legacy
9	Scramble for Africa
10	Decolonizing Africa: between Frank Fanon and Ama Ata Aidoo	Research Report_11.10.2022
11	Between Literature and Arts: representation of the racialized body
12	African and Afrodescendant leaders, uprisings and political movements	Take Home Exam_09.11.2022

Tutorial Registration

Students are required to attend 1 x 50 minute tutorial between weeks 1-12. See  HIST2315 Wattle Site for details about registering for a class. Registration will be open from the week prior to the commencement of teaching.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Learning Outcomes
Participation-10%	10 %	*	1,2,3
Primary Source Report-15%	15 %	30/08/2021	1-3
Research Essay-25%	25 %	11/10/2022	1,3,4
Lecture Responses-10%	10 %	*
Take Home Exam_40%	40 %	09/11/2022	1-5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Integrity . In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

A student's tutorial participation (performance and attendance) is worth 10%.

 

Tutorial performance is the mark a tutor gives the student for their contribution to tutorials. The tutor will be looking for evidence that the student has done the tutorial reading, and is willing to share ideas, listen to other students and participate in group discussion. Although attendance at tutorials is obligatory, allowance will be made for absences caused by illness or personal circumstances provided the tutor is informed in time. More than two unexplained absences will significantly affect the participation mark.

Examination(s)

The take-home exam will take place during the exam period. It will be open-book based on assigned course readings, and resources available on Wattle and via ANU Library.

Assessment Task 1

Participation-10%

Tutorial Participation consists of a regular in-class engagement with, and discussion of, the assigned sources in an on-campus or online class

a)    Tutorial discussion. Students are expected to read and critically assess the assigned primary (textual & visual-material) sources and secondary readings in order to be prepared to make regular contributions to weekly discussions. Focus questions are provided on Wattle and in the HIST2315 Course Outline to guide and support students’ analysis and discussion.

All prescribed primary and secondary sources are located on Wattle, as will be a selection of supplementary readings to support written assessments. Readings labelled ‘Essential readings’ are, you guessed it, essential. This means that everyone shares responsibility for contributing to discussion, which is the best way to benefit from the discussion yourself. Readings average around 50 pages/week, which is standard in History courses. 

Participation will be assessed on the basis of frequency and quality/relevance of contributions to discussion demonstrated familiarity and engagement with the readings, and willingness to participate individually or in groups as requested.

Attendance requirements: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 10 tutorials in person or online as appropriate across the twelve-week semester AND to contribute actively to in-class discussions with questions or ideas to receive a strong participation grade. Unexplained absences from more than 2 tutorials may adversely affect a student’s final mark. See below for how to gain credit for missed classes. 

Absences from tutorials: Students are expected to attend at least 10 of the 12 weekly tutorials. If you are unwell and can provide a medical certificate documenting the period when you are unable to work, the missed tutorial will not count as an unexplained absence. (Medical certificates don’t have to specify particular health conditions, simply note the period when the student was unable to work).

Students unable to attend tutorials in a given week should first advise their tutor of their likely absence in advance. If students wish to gain credit for participation in a week when they have missed classes, they will be expected to submit the following 2 (two) written pieces:

a)    a 200-word critical reflection on one or more of the week's readings in relation to the focus questions to be emailed to the tutor. The reflection may:

o  assess the assigned materials/questions as a group OR

o  concentrate on one of the questions and/or readings/sources in depth OR

o  consider how the readings responded to or contradicted your expectations of the topic

AND

b)    A brief comment/reflection of around 100 words and a question relating to the tutorial materials; these should be submitted in a single post to the Wattle Tutorial Discussion forum.

 

As per tutorial contributions, these written make-up pieces will be assessed on the quality/relevance of individual reflections and students’ demonstrated familiarity and engagement with the readings. They should be emailed to your tutor and posted onto Wattle by the Friday immediately after the relevant tutorial.

For advice on how to approach the reading and analysis of primary and secondary materials for tutorials, see details in HIST2315 Course Outline on the Wattle Site.

Assessment Task 2

Primary Source Report-15%

Word limit: 1000 words

Value: 15%

Learning outcomes: 1–3

Late submission is permitted subject to the penalties outlined in Late Submission section below.

Task overview

This assessment asks students to:

-       identify a primary source which illustrates one or more of the themes discussed in this course concerning African and Afrodescendants documents, material and inmaterial culture and

 -       develop an argument based on a critical analysis of the source about the source’s value in an exhibition on ‘African and Afrodescendant heritage’.

 

Students can write about a textual, visual, material object of their choice. They may select a source which is the focus of a past or future tutorial – these are identified clearly as primary sources throughout the course outline – or an item which has been discussed in lectures, or they may select a source from outside the course materials.

Time will be spent in tutorials in week 2 using primary source databases to help familiarise students with the resources available. Students are asked to have identified a source by week 3’s tutorials to discuss their arguments in class about why/how the source tells us about imperialism and empires. A list of relevant databases is included on Wattle >> Assessments – Guidelines & Resources block >> Assessment guidelines folder >> HIST2315 Source Task – Exhibition Object Report Guidelines file.

Assessment criteria – general

Reports will be assessed on:

-             the quality of the arguments about the relationship between the source and course themes and the value/limitations of the source for understanding aspects of empire/imperialism;

-             the student’s demonstrated familiarity with the source and its circumstances of production; and

-             the historical contextualisation of the source in relation to patronage, production, and purpose.

They will also be assessed on the logical structure of the discussion; clarity of written expression; signposting and internal consistency of the discussion; use of evidence to support claims made; and referencing.

 

Research expectations & referencing

Students should expect to consult a minimum of 6 scholarly studies to develop their understanding of the chosen source, its historical context and evidentiary value.

Reports should be submitted in Word Doc format. Scholarly referencing standards, specifically footnotes and bibliography that follow the Chicago Manual of Style format, are required by the School of History to support arguments and cite quotations. For a student-friendly guide to essay writing written by a History tutor, see Will Scates Francis’ Minimanual of the Essay Writer. For more detailed guidance, see also the ANU History Essay Presentation and Referencing Guide . These are both available on Wattle.

 

Keep a copy of the assignment, your drafts, and your research notes for your records. Students are advised to save each new draft under a new file name - this can help you to follow how your ideas change over time. Your tutor may ask to see your research notes or drafts in order to provide constructive advice and feedback.

Word limits and penalties

Where an assignment exceeds the prescribed word length, no penalty will be applied for the initial 10% excess words. Thereafter a 10% penalty will apply. If an essay is more than 10% under-length presumably it would be self-penalised.

History counts everything in the main body of the report, including direct quotations. Footnotes and bibliography are not included in the word-count, so you may need to tweak your word-processing software to exclude these components from its tally. Ask your tutor if you are unsure how to do this. 

For further guidelines about the task expectations, format of the report, resources, and assessment criteria for this task, see the HIST2315 Source Task – Exhibition Object Report Guidelines file in the Assessments - Guidelines & Resources block on Wattle

Assessment Task 3

Research Essay-25%

Word limit: 2000 words

Value: 25%

Learning outcomes: 1,3,4

Late submission is permitted subject to the penalties outlined in Late Submission section below.

Task overview

This course will examine the African experience and its diasporic extension in transoceanic and comparative historical frameworks through the lens of diverse case-studies. Select one of the case-studies considered across the unit and use it to develop an argument in response to one of the following research essay questions. You’re welcome to select a case-study of an empire from outside the unit, but you must check with the course convenor who needs to approve your choice first.

Select one of the following themes below: how did that theme play a role in the expansion of your chosen case-study?

-      Gender

-      Mobility

-      Race

-      Religion: Traditional religions and intersections with Westerns beliefs

-      Technology and Circulation of Knowledge

-      Ecology

-      Economics

-      State Building

-      Legacies

 

Assessment criteria – general

Essays will be assessed on:

-       the quality of the argument

-       the extent to which arguments are supported with critical analysis of primary and scholarly sources

-       the quality of the sources used and demonstrated familiarity with relevant evidence and scholarship (Wikipedia will not gain you any points)

-       the logic of the argument and the structure in which its presented

-       presentation (inclusion of properly formatted footnotes and bibliography)

 

*Video resources on preparing an essay and a live/streamed and recorded Essay preparation workshop facilitated by Academic Skills in week 6 will be available to students on the HIST2315 in the weeks ahead of the due date.

Research expectations & referencing

Students should expect to consult relevant primary sources (textual, visual or material as appropriate to their topic) and a minimum of 10 scholarly studies (monographs, book chapters and journal articles) for their essay. Students are encouraged to consult ANU databases to locate primary and secondary sources (scholarly studies) additional to those listed in the course guidelines since effective database searching is a key historical research skill.

Essays should be submitted in Word Doc format. Scholarly referencing standards, specifically footnotes and bibliography that follow the Chicago Manual of Style format, are required by the School of History to support arguments and cite quotations. For a student-friendly guide to essay writing written by a History tutor, see Will Scates Francis’ Minimanual of the Essay Writer. For more detailed guidance, see also the ANU History Essay Presentation and Referencing Guide  on Wattle.

Keep a copy of the assignment, your drafts, and your research notes for your records. Save each new draft under a new file name - this can help you to follow how your ideas change over time. Your tutor may ask to see your research notes or drafts in order to provide constructive advice and feedback.

Word limits and penalties

Where an assignment exceeds the prescribed word length, no penalty will be applied for the initial 10% excess words. Thereafter a 10% penalty will apply. If an essay is more than 10% under-length presumably it would be self-penalised.

History counts everything in the main body of the essay, including direct quotations. Footnotes and bibliography are not included in the word-count, so you may need to tweak your word-processing software to exclude these components from its tally. Ask your tutor if you are unsure how to do this. 

For advice about database resources, essay formatting, expectations concerning the essay’s introduction, scholarly review, paragraphing, use of quotations, referencing, and conclusion, see the HIST2315 Research Essay questions & guidelines file in the Assessments - Guidelines & Resources block.

Assessment Task 4

Lecture Responses-10%

The lecture forums are designed to help you engage with the lectures materials and broad themes of the course: to identify what’s important from lectures, to learn from each other and to get clarifications (from the lecturer or from each other).

You are expected to post each week to the lecture forum, but there is no penalty if you miss two weeks. The forums will close one week after the lecture.

Your contribution may take a number of different forms. You can

-      Respond to one of the posted questions about the lecture.

-      Post what you think is a key point to take-away from the lecture.

-      Ask a question (was there something you didn’t understand? A topic raised but not gone into in depth in the lecture?)

-      Answer or comment on another poster.

-      Annotate or comment on a lecture slide.

Aim to write a text with 100 words that engage meaningfully but concisely with the lecture.

Try to avoid repeating points others have made, and keep your posts relatively short and to the point. Feel free to engage in conversation and comment on others’ posts, but as always, remember to keep the discussion polite and respectful.

Your participation will be graded (this component is worth 10%). The criteria for marking will be 1) whether you have posted to the forum most weeks and 2) the relevance of your contribution – whether you’ve engaged with the lecture material, with another student’s post, or added relevant material to the discussion. Try to use evidence or examples when answering a question, or show critical thought about the topic – evaluating an argument, weighing evidence, thinking through an argument.

Assessment Task 5

Take Home Exam_40%

Value: 40%

Learning outcomes: 1–5

The examination will be a take-home exam, and will be due at a date TBA during the exam period. You will have a minimum of a week to write the exam, which will cover the entire semester. You will be expected to synthesise the materials you have read and discussed throughout the semester, and to think synoptically about the course and the subject matter.

Late submission is permitted subject to the penalties outlined in Late Submission section below.

 

Assessment criteria – general

Essays will be assessed on:

-       the quality of the argument

-       the extent to which arguments are supported with critical analysis of primary and scholarly sources

-       the quality of the sources used and demonstrated familiarity with relevant evidence and scholarship (Wikipedia will not gain you any points)

-       the logic of the argument and the structure in which its presented

-       presentation (inclusion of properly formatted footnotes and bibliography)

 

*Video resources on preparing an essay and a live/streamed and recorded Essay preparation workshop facilitated by Academic Skills in week 6 will be available to students on the HIST2315 Wattle Site in the weeks ahead of the due date.

Research expectations & referencing

Students should expect to consult relevant primary sources (textual, visual or material as appropriate to their topic) and a minimum of 10 scholarly studies (monographs, book chapters and journal articles) for their essay. Students are encouraged to consult ANU databases to locate primary and secondary sources (scholarly studies) additional to those listed in the course guidelines since effective database searching is a key historical research skill.

Essays should be submitted in Word Doc format. Scholarly referencing standards, specifically footnotes and bibliography that follow the Chicago Manual of Style format, are required by the School of History to support arguments and cite quotations. For a student-friendly guide to essay writing written by a History tutor, see Will Scates Francis’ Minimanual of the Essay Writer. For more detailed guidance, see also the ANU History Essay Presentation and Referencing Guide  on Wattle.

Keep a copy of the assignment, your drafts, and your research notes for your records. Save each new draft under a new file name - this can help you to follow how your ideas change over time. Your tutor may ask to see your research notes or drafts in order to provide constructive advice and feedback.

Word limits and penalties

Where an assignment exceeds the prescribed word length, no penalty will be applied for the initial 10% excess words. Thereafter a 10% penalty will apply. If an essay is more than 10% under-length presumably it would be self-penalised.

History counts everything in the main body of the essay, including direct quotations. Footnotes and bibliography are not included in the word-count, so you may need to tweak your word-processing software to exclude these components from its tally. Ask your tutor if you are unsure how to do this. 

For advice about database resources, essay formatting, expectations concerning the essay’s introduction, scholarly review, paragraphing, use of quotations, referencing, and conclusion, see the HIST2315 Research Essay questions & guidelines file in the Assessments - Guidelines & Resources block on the HIST2315 Wattle Site The file will also contain a tabulated rubric outlining the criteria on which essays will be assessed.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically, committing to honest and responsible scholarly practice and upholding these values with respect and fairness.

The ANU commits to assisting all members of our community to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle and Academic Misconduct Rule, uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with.

The Academic Misconduct Rule is in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Very minor breaches of the academic integrity principle may result in a reduction of marks of up to 10% of the total marks available for the assessment. The ANU offers a number of online and in person services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. Visit the Academic Skills website for more information about academic integrity, your responsibilities and for assistance with your assignments, writing skills and study.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Individual assessment tasks may or may not allow for late submission. Policy regarding late submission is detailed below:

• Late submission not permitted. If submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date is not permitted, a mark of 0 will be awarded.
• Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

See individual task details for expected dates of return.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assessments is not permitted.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students