There are no prerequisites, but consider:
No prerequisites required except for interest in
OPEN TO IE STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE FOLLOWING DEGREES (SINGLE AND DUAL): OPEN TO ALL PROGRAMS
This course offers an interdisciplinary and critical exploration of North Africa, with a focus on the region’s political, historical, cultural, and socio-economic transformations from the pre-colonial period to the present. It engages students with key regional debates, including questions of identity, postcolonial statehood, migration, authoritarianism, and development, while highlighting the strategic importance of North Africa in both African and Mediterranean/Middle Eastern geopolitics. The course gives particular attention to the Maghreb countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya), Egypt, and Western Sahara, with selective engagement with Mauritania and Sudan to reflect the fluidity and complexity of regional boundaries.
Rooted in a decolonial and area studies framework, students will interrogate dominant narratives and power structures while drawing on diverse sources including academic texts, films, podcasts, policy papers, case studies and more. Weekly sessions combine theoretical readings with practical content, including policy analysis, media critique, and simulation exercises. Through this approach, students will be equipped to analyze North African societies both historically and in the context of ongoing global and regional challenges, such as environmental crises, youth mobilization, migration governance, and foreign influence.
The course provides a robust foundation for future research or professional engagement with North Africa. It encourages critical thinking, interdisciplinary inquiry, and applied learning to better understand one of the world’s most dynamic and contested regions.
At the end of the course, students are expected to have developed a strong interdisciplinary understanding of the historical and contemporary dynamics shaping North Africa, and to be able to critically analyze the region’s political, cultural, social, and economic transformations. Students will be able to apply these insights across academic, policy, and professional environments related to international development, diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and regional analysis.
This includes:
1- Awareness of key historical events, political trajectories, and regional institutions relevant to North Africa, with special attention to postcolonial legacies and ongoing debates about identity, borders, and governance,
2- Ability to engage critically with diverse sources—academic, institutional, and grassroots—and interpret them through theoretical lenses such as decoloniality, regionalism, political economy, and environmental justice,
3- Capacity to analyze the role of external actors and international organizations in North Africa, including the EU, AU, Gulf States, China, and global civil society,
4- Ability to reflect on and discuss complex contemporary issues, such as migration, conflict, environmental stress, and digital activism, drawing connections between local realities and global trends,
5- Emphasis on case-based and practical learning, including the use of simulations, mapping exercises, and media analysis, to apply theory to real-world contexts and strengthen analytical skills,
6- Capacity to design and present original research or policy-oriented analysis on North African topics, reinforcing their ability to work independently and in diverse teams in intercultural settings.
