| Description |
South Africa's past and present were and are closely intertwined with those of its neighbors, including Angola, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. South Africa's industrial expansion, for example, relied on thousands of migrant laborers from its neighbors. The course will highlight a variety of themes, including the rise and fall of African empires (Great Zimbabwe and the Zulu kingdom), the effects of European colonization and the repression caused by the Apartheid system. The focus will also be on the dramatic 1994 transition of South Africa to a multiracial democratic society led by Nelson Mandela. |