AAS 260 Introduction to France's Relations with African Countries
This course is designed to help American students understand contemporary France through the lens of its relations to Africa. From the early 19th century until the mid-20th century African colonies provided a source of manpower, natural resources, military resources, and a platform for international trade which helped ensure France’s role as a world power. While France’s presence brought some advances to African countries, it also exploited them and disrupted traditional social structures by enforcing its so called assimilation politics. We will examine the ways in which France continues to wield considerable economic, political and military influence in Africa through unequal relations known as "la France-Afrique".