This first-year seminar examines Arab, European, African, and American travel narratives about various regions of Africa dating back to the 14th century. First, while remaining cognizant of the biases of the authors, we will mine travel accounts for descriptions of local contexts. Second, we will explore what travel writing says about the author's perception of self, home, and "other." Ultimately, we will determine how the image of travel in Africa influences both our perceptions of Africa and the writing of African history. |