DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, PEACE, & CONFICT STUDIES

Chairperson

Jefferson Ndimande

MSc Peace Leadership & Conflict Resolution, BA History, Certificate in Conflict Analysis

Lecturers

  • Buhlebenkosi Maphosa – MSc, PGDDS, BA
  • Dumisani Dziva – MA, BSc Hons
  • Edison Munsaka –PhD, MSc, Dipl.
  • Godfrey Hove –PhD, MA, BA Hons 
  • Innocent Nyathi – MA, PGDE, BA hons
  • Joshua Chakawa – PhD, MA, PGDE, BA
  • Meshack Zimunya – M.Phil, MA, BTh, Dip.L.L
  • Nqobile Sikhosana – MA, BA
  • Phillip Thebe – MSc, PGDSS, BA
  • Professor Percysledge Chigora – MSc, BSc
  • Tobias Guzura – MCom, MA, Advanced Cert, BA, Dip.Ed
  • Washington Mazorodze – MSc, BSc

MISSION
The Department of History, Peace and Conflict Studies trains students to
acknowledge God as the overall controller and director of human history, to understand the intimate nature of humankind, and know how to better live and work with humankind, and to get those they are in contact with to focus on Christ’s second advent and the glories that it holds for all who look forward to that event.
PHILOSOPHY
History, the story of humankind and their activities on earth, has invaluable lessons on all present and future societies. In itself, history contains the deeds of God towards humankind and the universe. The study of history in a Christian university is, therefore, a way of understanding God as the Creator and ruler of the universe.

God is in control of human history. The trend and flow of historical knowledge and events represent familiar struggles, between the forces of good, and the forces of evil. Consequently, history as a branch of knowledge, or study within the context of Christian theology, is concerned with the visible world and the nature of humankind.

OBJECTIVES

    • The History programme is meant to trace the history of Africa and of the world, from the primitive times, to the most recent
    • The programme also seeks to assess the roles played by Africans, Arabs and Europeans, during critical periods in the history of the world, slave and legitimate trades, and during the colonial and post-colonial
    • It will also prepare students to have a critical approach at History as they proceed to graduate

    At the end of the programme, students will be able to:

    • Examine ancient histories
    • Assess the roles played by African leaders in the establishment of African ancient civilizations and cities
    • Critique the roles of individuals and societies, whether African or otherwise, towards the demise of the African
    • Examine the consequences of slave and legitimate trade on Africa and Europe
    • Discuss the forms of governments introduced by imperial Europe on the African continent
    • Examine Africa’s struggle for independence
    • Assess the challenges faced by post-independent Africa
    • Critically examine the part played by regional groupings on the African continent
    • Evaluate the political and socio-economic histories of North and South America and Asia

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  • The BA General Programme in History will be on full-time, Block Release and Trimester- basis
  • Students into the BA General Programme should meet the general admission status into Solusi

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

After successfully completing the History Degree programmes, students may break into the following career opportunities:

  • Lecturing and teaching
  • Government service
  • Officers in Archives and Museums
  • National Parks and Wildlife
  • Non-Governmental Organizations
  • Regional and International Organizations (SADC, PTA, AU, UN etc)
  • Project Analysts
  • Pursue further studies in areas of one’s choice

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

To be eligible for graduation, students must have successfully completed the following requirements:

Requirements
Credit Units
General Education 30
Core Courses 51
Minor Electives 12
Work Experience 3
BA History Total Credits 96

 No course with a grade below C counts towards the fulfillment of the requirements of the programme.


BA in History

BACHELOR OF ARTS HISTORY DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

CORE COURSES

HIST 110 - Themes in African History(3 Credits)
The course provides students with a general survey of social and economic aspects of African society from the origins of agriculture to the present. Themes covered include state formation; long distance trade; mercantile capital; slave trade; European imperialism, colonial administrative systems, colonial development policies, and African reactions; the impact of Christianity and Western education; growth of African nationalism and the struggles for independence.
HIST 111 - Historical Reserach Methods (3 Credits)
The course examines the nature of history and the techniques used for research and writing in the discipline – collection, evaluation, analysis and interpretation of data as well as the presentation of the data in a coherent, meaningful account in support of a point of view.
HIST 112 - Europe (1789-1919) (3 Credits)
This is an in-depth study of the political development of Modern Europe, the French Revolution, Napoleon and Europe, Vienna settlement and the Congress system; the revolutions of 1830 and 1848, the Eastern Question in the 19th century, the rise of nationalism and the nation-state, international alignments of 1870-1914, and the First World War.
ENGL 108-Theories of Criticism (3 Credits)
Covers the functions of language and manifested in literature – a selection of texts is made to demonstrate this. As a higher order course, it draws upon several disciplines: linguistics literary criticism, literary history, theories of literature, sociology and psychology among others.
HIST 120 - Historiography (3 Credits)
The course examines the major schools of historical writing as well as the various methodologies within the discipline. It deals with the theoretical and philosophical aspects of history and its main focus will be on the African response to Western Historiography.
HIST 121 - The making of Contemporary Europe (Since 1919) (3 Credits)
This course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the history of 20th Century Europe as a background to European and world history. Students who complete this course should be familiar with the basic data and main historiographical issues concerning this subject. The course will be taught mainly in chronological sequence. The starting point is Europe after the First World War; the end is the fall of the Soviet Union and the beginning of the post-Cold-War world.
HIST 122 - Pre-Colonial Zimbabwe (Up to 1890) (3 Credits)
The course examines the development of kingdoms and states in pre-colonial Zimbabwe. States examined include Mapungubwe, Great Zimbabwe, Torwa, Mutapa, Rozvi and Ndebele. The course deepens and broadens the study of pre- colonial history, with particular reference to Zimbabwe. The course will trace the main stages in the development of human cultures and examine the ceramic sequences and traditions from different parts of Zimbabwe and show how they relate to other traditions in the southern African region.
HIST 210 - Historical Perspective on Gender in Africa (3 Credits)
The course locates and places women in the study of History which has often been accused of being androcentric. It employs a feminist perspective to the study of history and unpacks issues that face women.
HIST 211 - Southern Africa before the Mineral Revolution (3 Credits)
The course introduces students to the historical developments of 19th century Southern Africa so that they can be able to appreciate and understand not only the past but later history up to the present. The course begins with consideration of the overlapping frontiers of African peoples and coastal colonial powers south the Zambezi and Kunene rivers in the 18th century. It then considers the growth of African polities trading with the coast, and raises historical debate about the rise of military-states during the Mfecane/ Difeqane wars.
HIST 213 - History of the Middle-East & North Africa (Since 1900) (3 Credits)
The course concentrates on the imposition of colonial rule, the alienation of land and labour, and the extension of white settlement. The fourth part concerns the rise of nationalism and socialism, and bitter anti-colonial insurgence in Algeria. The fifth part compares the post-colonial political and economic development of Maghreb states, and contemporary problems particularly that of Islamic fundamentalism. Furthermore, it examines the colonisation of the Middle East, self-determination, the rise of nation-states, enduring Arab-Israeli conflicts, the Cold War, the Iran Revolution, the Arab Spring, the rise of political Islam and relations with the wider world.
HIST 214 - History of West Africa (3 Credits)
This course aims at introducing students to the history of pre-colonial West African societies, post-colonial West Africa as well as the historiography of West Africa. It starts off by examining West Africa’s contact with Islam, the nature growth of their states, their economic and social organizations and the impact of the slave trade as well as the Scramble for and colonization of Africa. Post-colonial West Africa will consider the early period of independence and its schemes of popular betterment, and the alienation of politicians from populace resulting in a series of military- bureaucratic coups. Furthermore, the course will consider the age of economic structural adjustment enforced by the World Bank/IMF and concomitant moves towards multiparty democracy.
HIST 216 - 20th Century East Africa (3 Credits)
The course examines the major events and experiences that have characterized the nations and peoples of East Asia such as China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The course attempts to bring comparisons with other continents. The course will also focus on the intra-regional conflicts over a period of time that eventually resulted in development paths that have made the East Asian states among the highly developed states in the world economy.
HIST 219 - History of Zimbababwe (Since 1890) (3 Credits)
This course explores the social, economic and political developments in Zimbabwe since colonization in 1890, to the present. Students will be introduced to the historiography of Zimbabwe which will be the entry-point into helping the student understand and analyze developments. Issues to be explored in the course include, the development of the settler economy and the underdevelopment of the African peasantry economy, colonial labor policies, African land dispossession; urbanization and the growth of the manufacturing sector, trade unions and the beginnings of nationalism; the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland; UDI and sanctions as well the War of Liberation. The post-colonial period examines political developments within the state such as civil strife, the one-party state debate, Zimbabwe’s international relations, and various development paradigms such as Growth with Equity, Neo-liberalism, Grassroots Approaches and De-Linking.
HIST 400 - Research Project (3 Credits)
This is a whole year course in which students must prepare and submit a research project of 60-80 pages within the area of the programme concerned. Students make a public presentation of their proposed research project and submit by the end of November an independent research project. Draft chapters of the research essay must be submitted by stipulated dates and the completed project submitted by the end of November. Late submission will be allowed only in the most exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Dean and Head of Department. By the end of this course, students should be able to use existing evidence to answer well-formed, historiographical driven and relevant questions about history.
HIST 412 - Demography, Land & Agrarian Isues in Africa (3 Credits)
The course looks at the issue of land from the pre-colonial to post-colonial period. It examines land expropriation by colonialists, land tenure systems, the state of agriculture at independence, food security, and small and large scale agricultural production.
HIST 413 - Conflict, Peace & Security in Africa (3 Credits)
The course examines the major paradigms in Peace and Conflict studies on the African continent. Students are exposed to a holistic conceptualisation of peace and security which emphasises human security as opposed to militaristic peace and security. Issues to be explored include poverty, disease (HIV/AIDS, Ebola), climate change, water scarcity, terrorism, international criminal networks, and inequitable international system as threats to peace and stability. Furthermore, the course proceeds to discuss the strategies of conflict resolution, transformation and management of conflict on the continent through regional blocs such as SADC, ECOWAS, IGAD as well as peacebuilding strategies and preventive diplomacy.
HIST 421 - Economic History of Africa (3 Credits)
The course explores debates and approaches to the study of economic history in Africa, placing Zimbabwe economic history within the context of the continent as a whole. It introduces new perspectives on African economic and social history developed in the global south. It examines the economic legacies of colonialism (including the differences between settler and non-settler colonies), and the place of institutions in the growth and development of the continent. Furthermore, the course tracks the changing place of Africa in the global economy.
HIST 422 - Intro to Foreign Policy, International relations & Diplomacy (3 Credits)
This course aims at introducing to and equipping students with concepts and knowledge of diplomacy, foreign policy and international relations, as well as their historical evolution. After completing the course, students will have a thorough understanding of the operation of the international system and role of big powers thereon. An understanding the structure of the international system and the concepts upon which it is built is a must for students of history and peace and conflict studies. This course will be taught to equip the beneficiaries with such knowledge and the capacity to operate within the system.
ATWE 300 - Attachment: Work Experience (3 Credits)
Collaboration with local, regional, national and international conflict and peace organizations provides students with a wide range of internships/attachments. The internship/attachment will be 3 months long at the end of the students’ 2nd year of study. At the completion of internship/attachment, each student will be required to write and submit a report of 2500 to 4000 words. Assessment of the internship/attachment will be in accordance with the university’s regulation.

ELECTIVE COURSES (Select only 4 Courses from the following:)

HIST 212 - History of Central Africa (3 Credits)
The course surveys the socioeconomic and political organization of Central African Societies before contact with Europeans, contact with Europeans and its impact, imposition of Colonial rule and African reaction to colonialism up to the present day.
HIST 215 - History of Eastern Africa (3 Credits)
The course explores developments in independent east Africa. It is organized around a series of themes such as power, authority, citizenship, nationalism, race and gender. Focus is on Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya. We start in the 1940s and 1950s as new political ideas circulated and gave rise to new types of political thinking, at both local and national level. We consider the concept of “development” and the ways in which it provided a vocabulary for thinking about what modernity might mean. We then track the rise of new nationalist parties which called for immediate independence, promising that independence would bring the social, economic and political development which new African voters demanded.
HIST 217 - USA & North America (Up to 1865) (3 Credits)
This course provides a basic history of American social, economic, and political development from the colonial period through the Civil War. It examines the colonial heritages of Spanish and British America; the American Revolution and its impact; the establishment and growth of the new nation; and the Civil War, its background, character, and impact.
HIST 218 - 20th Century South Asia (3 Credits)
This is an introductory course on the modern and contemporary history of South Asia. It gives a broad overview of the socio-economic and political developments in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. This course will help students understand some of the paradoxes of the region – rampant poverty and booming economies; rural impoverishment and foreign investment in retail; female infanticide and strong female political leaders; militarism and democracy – all co- existing in a single historical frame. It seeks to equip the students with a basic knowledge of the history and politics of the region with the help of visual and print media of the region, speeches and writings of political leaders, Bollywood cinema, documentaries and contemporary and classical South Asian music.
HIST 220 - Southern Africa Since the Mineral Revolution(3 Credits)
The course provides an introduction to contemporary social, political and economic issues and developments in the region. It unpacks the political and economic effects of the mineral revolution in diamond and gold mining on migrant labour and on the rise and fall of African states, Boer republics, and British, German and Portuguese colonies in Southern Africa. The course focuses on the trends in the region as a whole, focusing on Angola, Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and South Africa. The course looks at the region through the eyes and prism of the various countries in an attempt to encourage thinking about the region in a holistic way. Historiographical issues and debates will be examined.
HIST 221 - USA & North America (Since 1865) (3 Credits)
TThe course examines the changing structure of American politics, economics, and society from the end of the Civil War to the present. We will consider secondary historical accounts and primary documents to examine some of the key issues in the development of modern America: industrialization and urbanization; U.S. emergence as a global power; ideas about rights and equality; and the changing structures of gender, class, and race. It also examines the multiple answers that Americans gave to the question of what it means to be an American in the modern age.
HIST 222 - Russia and East Europe (Since 1917)(3 Credits)
The course starts with the Russian Revolution examining how developments in Russia impacted East Europe. By 1945 Russia had established client states within the region making it the hegemony in East Europe. However the collapse of communism from 1989 to 1991 appeared to indicate a decline in Russian power and influence in the region. However, the events of 2008 particularly the Russian/Georgian war, indicate that Russia will go to great lengths to protects its interests in the region.
HIST 223 - World Affairs (Since 1960) (3 Credits)
This course is crucial for those students who are going to be teachers or are teachers because the ZIMSEC A Level History Syllabus (paper 2) deals with World History. The course examines the global transformation that took place around the 1960s.
HIST 411 - Race, Class and Ethnicity in Africa (3 Credits)
Race, class and ethnicity are central in understanding the historical dynamics in Africa. The course examines debates on race, class and ethnicity and how they inform debates on the African state.
HIST 414 - Dynamics of Nationalism (3 Credits)
The course examine the rise of nationalism in Africa, Asia, Latin America as well as Europe. It focuses on the struggles towards independence as well as the challenges of Nation building. Using case studies and theories, the course examines the crisis of the nation state in the 21st century.
HIST 415 - Labour and State in Africa (3 Credits)
This course focuses on the labour policies in independent Africa, examining issues such as government as a major employer and overseer of labour matters, interaction between state and trade unions, worker participation in labour issues, labour conditions in agriculture, mines, domestic services and industry. This course looks at the evolution of labour migration from the pre-colonial to post-colonial society. The course will also seek to clarify conceptual and theoretical frameworks on labour migration looking at the causes, nature and impact of labour migration. It seeks to look at the role of the state and non-state actors in shaping trends in migration. Comparative analysis will also be made between and amongst regional blocks and different nations.
HIST 420 - Regional Integration in Africa (3 Credits)
The first part of the course analyses the origin of regionalist impulses in Africa. It examines the background, challenges and achievements of regional formations on the continent. More specifically, it examines the emergence and demise of the OAU as well as the prospects of the African Union (AU) and its development document, the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD). It also studies the dynamics of such regional organisations as the ECOWAS, SADC, and the revived East African Community. The second part of the course analyses the prospects of African regional organisations under globalisation.
HIST 424 - Latin America and the Caribbean (3 Credits)
This course offers a survey of the history of the South America and the Caribbean, it deals with the imposition of Spanish and Portuguese colonial governments, settlement patterns, power of the church, mineral and agricultural exploitation, slavery and the slave trade, the era of the revolutions: Haiti, Venezuela, Buenos Aires, military achievements and political failures of St. Martin and Bolivar; independence of Mexico, conservatism of the Latin American Independence movement, 19th century Mexican dictators, the revolution of 1910, British economic domination, the interference of the United States of America, the banana republics of Middle Americas, the Venezuelan oil industry, socialist and capitalist industrialization, monarchic government in independent Brazil, the rise of coffee industry; growth of industrial cities, Argentina: the agricultural basis of prosperity, land-owners and wage-earners and the significance of Peron.

GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES

Behaviour Development

CONV 111-412: CONVOCATION (0 Credits)
ORIE 100: ORIENTATION (0 Credits)
WOED 121-122: WORK EDUCATION (0 Credits)
Health and Physical Education

PHED 116: Physical Education (2 Credits)
HLED 115: Healthier Living (2 Credits)
Mathematics

MATH 159: General Algebra (3 Credits)
STAT 160: Basic Statistics (2 Credits)
Languages Communication

COMM 102: Communication Skills and Academic Writing (3 Credits)
Natural & Social Sciences

BIOL 389: Philosophical Biology (2 Credits)
HIST 276: Selected Themes in Zimbabwean History (2 Credits)
Computers

INSY 100: Computers & Data Processing(3 Credits)
Ethics and Philosophy

RELT 105: Christian Beliefs (3 Credits)
RELB 180: Studies in the Gospels (3 Credits)
RELH 360: Seventh-day Adventist Heritage (2 Credits)
RELT 215: Philosophy of Christian Education (2 Credits)
RELT 215: Philosophy of Christian Education (2 Credits)