Date of Award

6-12-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Women's Studies and Gender Studies

First Advisor

Hector Chavez Garcia

Second Advisor

Clement Akassi

Third Advisor

Elizabeth Jones Hemenway

Abstract

The Eurocentric and male narrative of the anti-colonial struggle in Africa during the twentieth century marginalized women’s contributions and presented them as passive victims of colonialism. Therefore, this study offers a more comprehensive historical account of women's leadership in Africa and a more inclusive and liberated narrative of the anti-colonial movement. Achieving this goal involves delving into the roles and contributions of two prominent female figures in the anti-colonial resistance in Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century: Huda Shaarawi from Egypt and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti from Nigeria. Furthermore, this study aims to demonstrate that the actions and strategies of these female leaders were rooted in Black feminist principles. This research is crucial not only for its contribution to academia through the exploration of a new topic and the generation of fresh insights but also for empowering African men and women to share their own narratives and challenge the Eurocentric knowledge that has shaped the understanding of Africa's history. Additionally, this work is vital for presenting the Black feminist activism of African women as they fight for their communities' political and patriarchal liberation. The theoretical framework will be informed by Black feminism and Afro-decolonialism, while the methodological approach will incorporate textual analysis.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

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