THE MFECANE AS TEACHING AID - HISTORY, POLITICS AND PEDAGOGY IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

The mfecane refers to the wars and migrations which took place in sout hern Africa between the 1810s and 1840s. Historians have long debated its causes, as well as drawn radically different conclusions from it a bout the ''nature'' of Africans. Most controversially, ft has been use d to reify African ''tribalism'' and justify apartheid. The present pr ocess of democratization in the region has renewed controversy as ethn ic groups use versions of mfecane history to back special claims. From a teaching perspective, I sketch the relationship between the rival h istoriographies and the changing political context. I also argue that the present mfecane debates are a rich teaching resource which can fac ilitate discussion of a number of key historiographical and pedagogica l issues. These include the use or abuse of sources, the effects of ra ce and gender socialization on the production of historical knowledge, and the responsibilities of historians in contexts of political viole nce and social injustice.