South Africa – Mandela’s Legacy

Terms: 1 (not offered every term)
Grades: 11, 12, PG

In 1994, Nelson Mandela completed his €˜long walk to freedom€™ when he was inaugurated as the first truly democratic president of South Africa. Mandela€™s remarkable journey from prison to presidency mirrors the country€™s journey from apartheid to democracy. Yet, South Africa€™s journey was not without conflict and in many ways remains incomplete.

This course will examine Mandela€™s life and legacy in South Africa, concentrating on the nation€™s transition from apartheid to democracy and the challenges faced by Mandela in trying to create a new South Africa. This course will draw heavily on modern sources, including films, documentaries, and Mandela€™s own words. A focal point of the course will the student€™s participation in a mock South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission Trial as a way to understand South Africa€™s attempt to find forgiveness in a land with a tortured past.