African 406: African Liberation Movements in Sound and Images

“Decolonization” is a buzzword for our times. But it has a history. This class studies African liberation movements through image and sound to think about decolonization past and present. From the 1950s through 1994, armed liberation movements in African countries fought for freedom from colonial rule. They imagined futures that demanded social, cultural, political, and economic change from their pasts. Grassroots organizations and newly independent governments lent their support. We will look at the images (photos, films, and art) and sounds (radio broadcasts, music, and slogans) these movements and organizations produced and used to mobilize people and to communicate their projects to the rest of the world.