HIST 068 PZ -NaturalDisaster/ColdWar Cameroon

Institution: Pitzer

Description: Natural Disaster and “Latent Violence” in Cold War Cameroon: This course explores the concept of “latent violence to analyze the intersection of the “natural” world’s poorly understood capacity to produce toxicity, the limited capacity of international scientists to predict, present, or explain toxic harm and death, and, the autocratic power of postcolonial, Cold-War era state to withhold or unleash bureaucratic, scientific, or militaristic attention in times of crisis. The case study is Cameroon’s 1986 Lake Nyos Disaster, which asphyxiated over 1,700 people and roughly 3,500 head of cattle. Students will analyze archival materials, scientific reports and journalism, Cameroonian fiction, and oral history interviews with survivors, scientists, and relief workers.

For up-to-date information on current course offerings and details, please refer to the Pitzer class schedule on MyCampus2 Portal.