HIS352H1

A History of Women in Pre-colonial East Africa

This course examines the lived experience of women in societies, communities and polities of varying sizes across territories that cover eight contemporary East African states. It encompasses the period from 1000 B.C to the end of the nineteenth century. Topics covered are clustered under four broad themes: a) Ecology, work in commodity production, wealth and exchange relations; b) “Institutional” power, ideology and structures; c) “Creative” power particularly in the areas of healing, resistance/contestation and transformation; and d) Violence, war and vulnerability. The course challenges present day gender and identity categories applied to Africa’s deep past and highlights critical nuances of gender, identity and power dynamics in Africa.