ENVI 306
A History of an African City Fall 2015
Division II
Cross-listed HIST 307 / AFR 313
This is not the current course catalog

The city of Nairobi was founded solely to serve the needs of white colonials and settlers. Fifty years later–in the 1960s–it had become dominated by Africans and is now, in the 21st Century, a major global city with over 4 million people. This course will trace the history of Nairobi from the 19th century to the present. We will focus on the city’s political and economic development, its racial conflicts, as well as the daily experience of various groups of city dwellers. We will also look at the growth of the city’s physical infrastructure–its transportation, housing, trade, and labor networks. Students will also get a chance to read about the various artistic movements in Nairobi, focusing especially on music, theater, and street performances.