Racism, Apartheid and Nonviolence
Extra Help: Tuesdays 3-4pm, room 205 or by appointment.
What is racism? What was the role of racism in the creation of the apartheid system in South Africa? How did the apartheid system affect the culture and daily life of South Africans? What legacy does this system have on modern day South Africa?
In this elective course we will study the unjust racial segregation of the peoples of South Africa during the apartheid era from 1948 to 1994. Throughout the semester, we will explore the roots of racism and its role in the nation of South Africa during the latter half of the twentieth century. We will explore the impact of European colonization on South Africa and the dedication of the native Africans to maintain their culture and ways of life despite numerous and unjust challenges. As we explore the legal system of apartheid, we will also study the role that internal and external nonviolent protests had in toppling the apartheid system which allowed South Africa to move beyond this tragic period in its history. Nelson Mandela and his role in bringing about these changes will be explored at length as we examine the fall of apartheid and South Africans’ attempts to adapt to life post apartheid. The course will conclude with a common 10th grade research project.
Class resources will include Brown University’s Choices Curriculum, Freedom in Our Lifetime: South Africa’s Struggles, Mark Mathabane’s Kaffir Boy and Nelson Mandela’s: The Struggle is My Life.