HI260 Course Outline

UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM
DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY
HI 260: Philosophies and Methodologies of History
First Semester, 2022/2023 Academic Year
Instructors
i. F. Edward (PhD), (coordinator) – Office No. 157
ii. G. Ambindwile (PhD), Office No. 151
iii. M. Wington (MA), Office No. 147
Consultation Hours: Mondays 16-17 hrs; Thursday 17-18 hrs

Lectures: Monday 15-16 hrs, Nkrumah Hall; Thursday 13-14 Hrs, Nkrumah Hall
Seminar Hours: Tuesday 13-14 COAF LR5, 16-17ALRB, 17-18ALRD; Wednesday 13-
14ALRB, 15-16MB; Friday 13-14ALRD, 14-15 Cass C.
Course Objectives
The course is designed to develop adequate awareness to students seeking to become professional
skilful historians about the philosophies and methodologies that overtime shaped the study of
history. The underlying assumption is that historians construct and reconstruct histories influenced
by the socio-political and economic environments that surround their production and
reproduction conditions. It is anticipated that upon completion of the course, students will be able
to develop a more critical attitude towards the various history courses they come across and the
source materials used to (re)construct them.
Course Description
This is a theoretical and practical course that introduces students of history to the changing
philosophical and methodological foundations of historical scholarship over the entire period of
the existence of this discipline. It is thus a basic course for history professionals as it exposes them
to the art and skills of the study of history by making an exposition of the philosophies and
methods explored by the fathers and founders of the study of history. The course is therefore
divided into four main parts and starts by an overview on philosophy of history. The course then
embarks on examination of pre-capitalist philosophies and methodologies, and then proceeds into
the capitalist phase philosophies and methodologies and finally rounds up by an investigation on
contemporary philosophies and methodologies.
Course Delivery
The course will be covered in 45 hours and will be conducted through lectures, seminar
discussions assignments and tests. 28 hours will be used for class lectures 10 hours for seminars
and 7 hours for tests and assignments.
Course Assessment
The course will be evaluated through continuous assessment (CA) and a final written
examination (UE). The CA component consists of the following segments: 1. Seminar
presentation 10%; 2. Tests, quiz and/or individual assignments 30%. The remaining 60% has
been allocated to UE component.
NB: Make sure you prepare your assignments well in advance to avoid unfounded excuses. Final
seminar papers must be submitted on the day of presentation both in hard copies.
Attendance to all lectures and seminars is mandatory unless stated otherwise.
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Important dates: First lecture – Monday 7th November 2022, First Seminar – 2nd week of the
semester, First Test – 5th week, Second Test/Assignment – 10th week.
COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1: The Subject Matter of Philosophy of History
1.1. Concepts: History, Philosophy, Philosophy of History, History of Philosophy,
Historiography
1.2. Subject Matter of Philosophy
1.3. Methodologies of History
Module 2: Pre-Capitalist Philosophies and Methodologies

2.1. Ancient Chinese philosophy and historiography
2.2. Greco-Roman and Christian Philosophy and methodology of history
2.3. Islam and Arab philosophies and methodologies
2.4. Philosophy of history in other parts of the world
Module 3: Philosophies and Methodologies during Mercantilism and Competitive Capitalism

3.1. Historiography during the emergence of capitalism
3.2. The rise of scientific practice
3.3. Historiography during consolidation of capitalism
3.4. Rise of positivism and speculative materialism
Module 4: Historiography during the Crisis of Capitalism

4.1. Consolidation of the Bourgeoisie and Bourgeois historiography
4.2. Proletariats and the proletarian historiography
4.3. Anthropology and evolution
Module 5: Early to modern European Philosophies of history

5.1. Theories of society and history under capitalism
5.2. Annals School of historiography
5.3. Anthropology and structural functionalist history
5.4. Modernization and Post-modernism
Module 6: Developments in African Historiography

6.1. Development of African historiography up to WWII
6.2. Colonialism, colonial historiography
6.3. Critique of colonial historiography-liberals, nationalists, underdevelopment and
Marxists
6.4. Africanists and the African history
6.5. Post-modernist tradition and the future of African history
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Key References
Ankersmit, F.R. “Historiography and Postmodernism”. History and Theory 28 no. 2 (1989): 137-
153.
Atkinson, R.F. Knowledge and Explanation in History: An Introduction to the Philosophy of History.
London: Macmillan, 1989.
Bernal, M. Black Athena. London: Vantage, 1987.
Bernstein, Henry and Jacques Depelchin. “The Object of African History: A Materialist
Perspective.” History in Africa 5 (1978): 1-19.
_____ . “The Object of African History: A Materialist Perspective - II.” History in Africa 6 (1978):
17-43.
Breisach, Ernest. Historiography: Ancient, Medieval and Modern. London & Chicago: The Chicago
University Press, 1994.
Carr, Edward H. What is History? London, 1961.
Collingwood, R.G. The Idea of History. Oxford, 1946
Cooper, Frederick. Africa in the World: Capitalism, Empire, Nation-State. Harvard University Press,
2014.
Cooper, Frederick. Colonialism in question: Theory, knowledge, history. Berkeley: University of
California Press, 2005.
Davidson, Basil. The Black Man’s Burden. New York, 1992.
Diop, Sheikh Anta. The Cultural Unity of Negro Africa. Paris: Presence Africaine, 1962.
Francis Fukuyama, “The End of History,” mimeo (1991)
Hegel, G.W.F. Philosophy of History. Indianapolis, 1953.
Hughes-Warrington, Marnie. Fifty Key Thinkers in History. London & New York: Routledge, 2008.
Khaldun, Ibn. The Muqqadimah. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989.
Ki-Zerbo, J. (ed). UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. I: Methodology and African Pre-History
California: Heinemann, 1990.
Lawi, Y.Q., “Pros and Cons of Patriotism in the Teaching of MajiMaji”. Tanzania Zamani 9 no. 1
(2009).
Mbembe, A., and Steven Rendall. "African modes of self-writing." Public Culture 14 no.1 (2002):
239-273.
Mudimbe, V.Y. The Idea of Africa. Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, and
London: James Currey, 1994.
Mudimbe, V.Y. The invention of Africa. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1988.
Ranger, Terrence. ‘The New Historiography in Dar es salaam: An Answer.’ African Affairs 70,
No. 278, (1971), 50-61.
St. Augustine. The City of God. New York: Catholic University of America Press, 1958.
Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History. New York, 1998.
Tucker, Aviezer (ed.) Companion to Philosophy of History and Historiography. London, 2009.
Vansina, J. Oral Traditions as History. Oxford: James Currey, 1997.
Wamba-dia-Wamba, Ernest. “How is Historical Knowledge Recognized?”
Wiener, Philip P. "On methodology in the philosophy of history." The Journal of Philosophy 38
no.12 (1941): 309-324.

SEMINAR TOPICS
1) What do you understand by the concept ‘history’? Illustrate your discussion based on
Edward H. Carr’s What is History?
2) Discuss the main similarities and differences between Philosophy and Philosophy of history.
(Use John Zammito’s “Discipline, Philosophy, and History” and additional sources of your
choice)
3) Explain the main characteristics of Ancient Chinese Philosophy of history and

historiography.
4) Account for the main tendencies of the Greco-Roman historiography.
5) Examine the basic features and impact of the enlightenment movement in European
history.
6) Analyse the main philosophical and methodological tendencies of the proletarian

historiography in Europe between the 19th and 20th centuries.
7) With reference from Terence Ranger, ‘The New Historiography in Dar es Salaam’, assess
the main strengths and weaknesses of the Dar school of historiography in reconstructing
African history.
8) Using Henry Bernstein and Jacques Depelchin’s “The Object of African History: A
Materialist Perspective”, identify and discuss the main controversial issues between
bourgeois and Marxist perspectives on African history.
9) Briefly, state what is postmodernist historiography, and assess it influence on African

historical research and writing.
10) Examine different meanings of decolonisation as used in modern African history.

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UNIVERSITY OF DAR ES SALAAM

Consultation Hours: Mondays 16-17 hrs; Thursday 17-18 hrs

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Module 2: Pre-Capitalist Philosophies and Methodologies

Module 3: Philosophies and Methodologies during Mercantilism and Competitive Capitalism

Module 4: Historiography during the Crisis of Capitalism

Module 5: Early to modern European Philosophies of history

Module 6: Developments in African Historiography

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3) Explain the main characteristics of Ancient Chinese Philosophy of history and

4) Account for the main tendencies of the Greco-Roman historiography.

6) Analyse the main philosophical and methodological tendencies of the proletarian

9) Briefly, state what is postmodernist historiography, and assess it influence on African

10) Examine different meanings of decolonisation as used in modern African history.

4|P ag e ©History-UDSM 2022/23

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