TEACHING

Politics of Africa(Y26.667), Spring 2009: School of Continuing and Professional Studies School of Continuing and Professi, New York University

This course provides an overview of issues and problems confronting contemporary Africa. The course will examine five core questions: (i) Why are some African state structures weaker than others? (ii) Why are some African countries more prone to pervasive economic crises than others? (iii) What explains variation in democratic transitions and consolidation in Africa? (iv) Why do some African countries suffer from violent civil wars while others are spared? And (v) Why are new threats such as diseases or environmental problems so prevalent in some African countries, but not in others?

Throughout this course, we will learn that, contrary to the sensational international news coverage of Africa, there is in fact great variation and diversity in the social, economic and political realities within Africa. That is, in spite of severe political and economic crises in several African countries, many others manage to maintain stronger state structures, experience higher levels of economic growth, get spared from violent civil wars and so forth. Our aim will be to explain these differences. The main objectives of this course are: (i) to help students gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex social, economic and political issues and problems confronting contemporary Africa; and (ii) to provide students with analytical skills enabling them to challenge their previously held beliefs about the way Africa works and become critical consumers of news coverage of Africa. In view of this, focus in this course will be less on individual cases (though we will discuss many such cases) and more on social science tools (i.e. concepts and arguments) from diverse fields such as political science, economics, history and others.

The course is divided in four substantive parts. In the first part, we will conduct a quick historical review of Africa�s past, focusing on pre-colonial and colonial contexts in which structures and politics of contemporary Africa might have formed. In the second part, we will examine the socio-political forces such as the state, ethnicity, race, religion, classes and civil society that shape contemporary African politics. In the third part, we will focus on five major aspects of Africa's current conditions: (i) weakness or failure of state structures; (ii) pervasive economic crises; (iii) democratic transitions and consolidation; (vi) civil wars; and (v) other threats to Africans such as HIV and AIDS, Malaria and environmental issues.

Click here for Course Syllabus

Lecture Notes: Week1: Week2: Week3: Week4: Week5: Week6: Week7: Week8: Week9: Week10: Week11: Week12: Week13: Week14: Week15:

Weekly Focus Questions:

Map quiz:

Mid-term: Study Guide Exam

Final: Study Guide Exam