FRENCH OVERSEAS EMPIRE 1670-1970: CONQUEST, EXPANSION, DECOL in Summer 2021 (HI3091)

This lecture and discussion course will canvas the history of the French overseas empire from its beginnings under Louis XIV to the twentieth century. Through a rich variety of sources– novels, film poetry, historical documents, and memoirs–we will investigate topics that include the rise of the French slave trade; the Haitian Revolution; the conquest of Algeria; native troops and colonial conquest; imperialism, art, and the avant-garde; the rise of anti-colonial movements; and the globalization of anti-colonial war. The class will conclude by reflecting on the legacy of colonialism in contemporary France.