Colonialism & Independence Symposium

This month, you will work in a group on a country selected from the list to analyze nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the movements that helped colonies become independent. You will share what you learn with your classmates in an academic "symposium" (a large meeting about a specific subject) about colonialism and independence. The Symposium will take place on May 29th.

The countries you may choose from are:

• South Africa
• Argentina
• Dominican Republic
• Vietnam
• India

Each group will have to research the following questions about its chosen country and provide answers in your presentation at the Symposium:
1. How & when was country colonized? By whom? Why?

2. How was the country governed as a colony? Direct/indirect rule? Did the colonizers have indigenous collaborators? What was the impact of colonialism on the indigenous cultures and the environment of the colony? How did the native people resist colonial rule?

3. How and when did the country become independent? Was it a violent uprising, a peaceful process, or a combination? Who were the main figures in the independence movement?

4. How has the country fared since independence? Who have been the main leaders in the post-colonial era? What organizations or political parties have been influential? How do the leading economic indicators regarding health, education, the economy, sanitation, and political rights compare to other countries? What are the main successes and challenges in the country today? What are the lasting legacies of colonialism?

Helpful websites for current statistics: http://who.int, http://un.org