Economics & The Shadow of Colonialism
In this unit, you'll explore the legacy (or the infamy) of colonialism on our culture today. To examine colonialism on a sociohistorical basis, you'll read Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. As you read, we'll watch King Leopold's Ghost, an account of King Leopold II's exploitation of the Belgian Congo. This will lead to your second quarter project: A public relations campaign dealing with products that are extracted from former colonial possessions of various Western countries.
Required Readings:
Assignments:
Required Readings:
- Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness (Moeller text)
- Eavan Boland, "In Which the Ancient History I Learn Is Not My Own" (LOC 1108-1110)
- Jamaica Kincaid, "On Seeing England for the First Time" (LOC 1006-1015)
- Chinua Achebe, "An Image of Africa: Racism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness" (PDF)
- Teju Cole, "The White-Savior Industrial Complex" (link to The Atlantic)
- King Leopold's Ghost (film: YouTube link)
Assignments:
- Heart of Darkness Double-Entry Journal (PDF)
- King Leopold's Ghost / Heart of Darkness Analysis Blog (PDF)
- King Leopold / Belgian Congo Historical Texts (PDF)
- Second Quarter Project: Public Relations Campaign--One Issue, Two Audiences