France, North Africa and the Middle East: interdisciplinary and multimedia approaches

Location map

Past event summary

This event built on a series of annual study days on Franco-Algerian relations held at the University of Portsmouth. This year will innovate on previous successes in its focus on pedagogic issues relating to the teaching of North African, and in particular Algerian, Studies. In the past, this has been the specialism of relatively few academics in the UK, but is now an area of significant growth.

Proceedings

A full event report is available on the University of Portsmouth website.

Speakers

Dr. Brett has three decades’ experience of teaching North African history at SOAS. In his presentation, he consider the impact of changing historiographical trends, world events and student expectations on the ways in which Algerian history, politics and society are taught in UK universities, from the 1970s to 2000. He also gave his insights into the question “In 2009, what do undergraduate students need to know about Algeria?”

Dr. Gill and Dr. McGonagle presented examples of how art and film can be used to both develop student understanding of France’s colonial and postcolonial relations with North Africa and enhance the student experience.

Other papers which formed part of the study day looked at interdisciplinary approaches to the study of France and Israel. Throughout the afternoon, there was plenty of opportunities for discussion, debate and the exchange of ideas amongst participants. This study day attracted academics working in area studies departments across the UK, postgraduates and some of Portsmouth’s final year undergraduate students taking the course “Colonialism and the End of Empire in North Africa” who were present to provide their perspectives.

Please email Dr Natalya Vince at natalya.vince@port.ac.uk for further details.  This event was sponsored by the Subject Centre's guest speaker fund.