HIS 3. Colonialism, Race and Power in the 19th and 20th Century

Få overblik på:
- Historie, KA-2019, ét-faglig, lektionskatalog efterår 2023
- Historie, KA-2019, to-faglig, lektionskatalog efterår 2023
- Historie, KA-sidefag-2019, lektionskatalog efterår 2023
- Historie, KA-2022, ét-faglig, lektionskatalog efterår 2023
- Historie, KA-2022, to-faglig, lektionskatalog efterår 2023
- Historie, KA-sidefag-2022, lektionskatalog efterår 2023
- Historie, BA, lektionskatalog efterår 2023

HIS 3. Colonialism, Race and Power in the 19th and 20th Century
This course is concerned with one of the most important historical questions of our time: What made the modern world? Modern concepts of national identity, gender and class, religion and political ideologies cannot be understood outside the context of European colonialism of the 19^th and 20^th century. From contested borders and interstate disputes, through languages and cultures, to inequities in wealth and geopolitical power, the enduring effects of colonialism are evident everywhere today. Though often overlooked, the effects of colonial rule were also not uncontested at the time.

In this course, we will explore the driving factors of imperialist expansion in Asia and Africa: ‘science’-based understandings of racial differences, the European ‘civilising mission’ and nationalistic competition formed the justification of colonial conquest, colonisation, and exploitation. We shall investigate these issues from the perspective of both its practitioners and their colonial ‘subjects’, and we will trace impact events at the ‘periphery’ of the globe back to people and societies in Europe.

The intention is to try and understand European imperialism on its own terms at a theoretical level, and in ways that balance the specificities of regional history with the singularity of human experience. To achieve this, the course combines analysis of large-scale processes that made the modern world with the exploration of concrete case studies from across the globe. Ultimately, this course will provide you with insights into the roots of current debates about race relations, knowledge production and colonial heritage; expose you to one of the most innovative fields of current historical research and, finally, allow you to engage more deeply with concepts of nationalism, imperialism, power, and racism from a variety of perspectives.

Course requirements:
- Regular attendance and active participation are essential. 
- The exam consists of a group presentation, an essay plan, and a research essay in English.

Course objectives:
- Ability to have a clear understanding of the European colonial rule and current trends in the historiography.
- Ability to understand and critically evaluate varied primary sources and relate them to the wider historiography.
- Ability to understand long-term and short-term historical developments.
- Ability to analyse a complex historical event from different perspectives.
- Ability to understand and deploy correct terminology in a comprehensible manner.