COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST FOR POLI 458:POLITICS OF IDENTITY IN GHANA, 2018/2019 ACADEMIC YEAR

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

SECOND SEMESTER, 2018/2019

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE TITLE: POLITICS OF IDENTITY IN GHANA

COURSE CODE: POLI 458

VENUE: N2

LECTURE RERIOD: WED 7:30-9.20 AM

COURSE INSTRUCTOR:

MR. A. K. D. FREMPONG

Office Location: F20 Kweku Folson Building, Dept. of Political Science

Office Hours: Mon 7.30-8.30am Wed: 10.00-11.00 am

Email: akdfremppong@ug.edu.gh

TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Kwadwo Antwi, Daniel Gyasi

Office Location: Graduate Assistants Office (F17) Kweku Folson Building

Course Title	POLITICS OF IDENTITY IN GHANA/ POLI 458
Purpose and Objectives	Identity is a manifest feature of every society because in terms of politics, religion, region, ethnicity, gender, age, or socio-economic status, etc, society is pluralistic with different interests pursued by various groups. Often, identity groups have antedated the emergence of the modern state system and have endured in most countries despite policies of assimilation and integration. The issue becomes even more complicated by the fact that people have multiple identities and occupy multiple social statuses. How then does a post-colonial state promote national integration among its citizens within the context of competing identities? What is the role of the state in the struggle among the identity groups for the control of political power and national resources; particularly in the context where the assumption of one group to power alienates other groups? This course analyses the challenges of nation-state building in Ghana; forging a nation out of the diverse group of people living within its borders. To what extent have efforts to promote national identity been either promoted or hindered by competing ethnic, regional and religious identities? What roles have partisan politics, chieftaincy, women, and youth played in Ghanaian politics? Overall, how have the interplay of such identities shaped political actions and alignments in the varying phases of Ghanaian politics?   Upon completion of this course students should be able to: ·         Understand Identity and how it shapes national politics ·         Appreciate the impact of regionalism and ethnicity on politics in Ghana ·         Understand the roles and  dynamics of political party and religion in politics in Ghana ·         Critically discuss the prospects and  challenges  of Women and Youth participation in Ghanaian politics ·         Analyze the role of the institution of chieftaincy In Ghanaian  politics ·         Contribute meaningfully  to discussions on issues of  Identity and Politics in Ghana A theoretical analysis of the concept and forms of identity is followed by their application in Ghanaian politics since independence, with particular emphasis on the Fourth Republic
WEEK NO	Date	Lecture Course	Tutorials	Venue	Assessment
1-3	04-22 Feb 2019	Understanding Politics of Identity	What is Identity and how does it affect national politics?	Lecture: N2 Tutorial: DLR
4-6	25 Feb -15 Mar 2019	Regionalism and Ethnicity in Ghanaian Politics	Challenges of Regionalism and Ethnicity in Ghana	Lecture: N2 Tutorial: DLR
7-8	18-29 Mar 2019	Party  Politics in Ghana	Dynamics of  Party Politics in Ghana	Lecture:  N2 Tutorial: DLR
9-10	01-12 Apr 2019	Women and Youth in Ghanaian Politics	Examine prospects and  challenges	Lecture: N2 Tutorial: DLR
11-12	15-26 Apr 2019	Chieftaincy and Politics in Ghana	Chieftaincy –State Relations	Lecture: N2 Tutorial: DLR
13	29 Apr-03 May 2019	Religion and Politics in Ghana	Extent and Influence of religion	Lecture: N2 Tutorial: DLR

Reading List

Allah-Mensah, B. (2004). Women in politics and public life in Ghana. Accra: Friedrich Elbert Foundation.

Allman, J. M. (1991). “Hewers of wood, carriers of water”: Islam, class, and politics on the eve of Ghana's independence. African studies review, 34(2), 1-26.

Ansah-Koi (1998) “Walking the Tightrope: Chiefs, Chieftaincy and the 1996 Elections in Ghana”, in J. R. A. Ayee, ed. The 1996 General Elections and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana, Accra: Gold-Type Ltd, pp. 139-155.

Ayee, J. R (nd) “Voting Patterns in the 2004 Elections”, Discussing Issues not Sensations http://ghanaelectionwatch.com/blog/index.php?itemid=5 

Boafo-Arthur, K. (2003). Chieftaincy in Ghana: Challenges and Prospects in the 21^st Century. African and Asian Studies, 2(2), 125-153.

Bob-Milliar, G. M. (2014). Party youth activists and low-intensity electoral violence in Ghana: a qualitative study of party foot soldiers' activism. African Studies Quarterly, 15(1), 125.

Chazan, N. (1982). Ethnicity and politics in Ghana. Political Science Quarterly, 97(3), 461-485.

Crawford, Y. (1976). The politics of cultural pluralism. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.

Debrah, E. (2007). Fifty years of party politics in Ghana: The balance sheet. In J. R. A. Ayee, ed. Ghana at 50: Government, politics and development, Accra: Friedrich Ebert Foundation, pp. 107-123.

Frempong, A. K. D. (2001), Ghana’s election 2000: The ethnic undercurrent. In J. R. A. Ayee ed, Deepening democracy in Ghana: Politics of the 2000 elections, 1, 141-159.

Frempong, A. K.D.  (2007). Political conflict and elite consensus in the liberal state. In K. Boafo-Arthur, ed. Ghana: One decade in the liberal state, London/Dakar: ZED/CODESRIA, pp. 128-164

Frempong, A. K. D. (2006). Ethnicity, democracy and Ghana’s election 2004’. K. Boafo-Arthur ed. Voting for Democracy in Ghana: Ghana’s, 157-86.

Gyampo, R. E. (2008). The Youth and Political Ideology in Ghanaian Politics: The Case of the Fourth Republic: an Inter-faculty Lecture Delivered on 18th October 2008 at the University of Ghana. University of Ghana.

Gyapong, S. K. (2006). The role of chieftaincy in Ghana‟ s democratic experiment.Chieftaincy in Ghana: Culture, Governance and Development, 1, 183.

Gyimah-Boadi, E. (2003). The political economy of ‘successful’ ethno-regional conflict management. In Bastan S &Luckham R, eds, Can Democracy Be Designed? The Politics of Institutional Choice in Conflict-Torn Societies, London/New York: ZED Books, pp. 120-144.

Jockers, H., Kohnert, D., & Nugent, P. (2010). The successful Ghana election of 2008: a convenient myth?. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 48(1), 95-115.

Kelly, B. (2005). The 2004 elections in northern Ghana. Review of African Political Economy, 455-461.

Oquaye, Mike (1996) “Youth, Politics and Society in Ghana” in Drah. F. K. & Oquaye, M. eds. Civil Society in Ghana, Accra: FES, pp. 163-202.

Pobee J. S. (1991). Religion and Politics in Ghana. Accra: Asempa Publishers.

Plagiarism Policy

Be reminded of UG Plagiarism Policy (Refer to UG Public Affairs Website)

Examination

Interim Assessment: Two sit-in Assignments (for 30 marks). Time will be communicated later

End of Semester Examination: Two-&-Half-Hour Paper of two Sections. Section A: 50 short-answer questions (compulsory for 50marks) and Section B: three-essay questions (answer any one for 20marks)

COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST FOR POLI 444: ELECTORAL POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY IN GHANA, 2018/2019 ACADEMIC YEAR.

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

SECOND SEMESTER, 2018/2019

COURSE SYLLABUS

COURSE TITLE: ELECTORAL POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY IN GHANA

COURSE CODE: POLI 444

COURSE VENUE: JQB 23

LECTURE PERIOD: MON 9:30-11:20 AM; WED 11:30 AM-1:20 PM

COURSE INSTRUCTORS:

MR. A. K. D. FREMPONG

Office Location: F20 Kweku Folson Building, Dept. of Political Science

Office Hours: Monday 7.30-8.30am Wed: 10.00-11.00am

Email: akdfrempong@ug.edu.gh

PROF. E. DEBRAH

Office Location: F16 Kweku Folson Building, Dept. of Political Science

Office Hours: Monday 11:30-13:30 Wed 9.30-10:30am

Email: edebrah@ug.edu.gh

TEACHING ASSISTANTS:  Kwadwo Antwi, Lawrence Arthur, Donald Yobi, Daniel Gyasi

Office Location: Graduate Assistants Office (F17) Kweku Folson Building

Course Title/ Code	ELECTORAL POLITICS AND DEMOCRACY IN GHANA/ POLI 444
Purpose Objectives.	Particularly since the end of the Cold War, democracy and elections have become buzzwords around the globe. Questions however exist as to the nature of democracy and its relationship with elections and democratic consolidation in new democracies in Africa. Since the 1992 founding elections, Ghana has witnessed five other elections and two alternations in power. Even before then, Ghana has had long experience with electoral politics that preceded independence in 1957 and ‘pockets’ of democratic governance in-between military regimes. This course, against the background of the theoretical analysis of democracy, elections and democratic consolidation, examines the dynamics, intricacies and impacts of electoral politics and democratic governance in Ghana and the prospects for the future. The course is intended to broaden and deepen students’ understanding of these issues to prepare them for educating others on electoral politics and democratic governance. Upon completion of this course students should be able to: ·                     Understand the theoretical perspectives of election ·                     Appreciate the dynamics of elections  in the pre-election era ·                     Explain how the politics of the immediate post-independence era influenced elections ·                     Discuss the contexts  in which elections and referendum in the Second and Third Republics ·                     Analyze various dimension of elections in the Fourth Republic ·                     Contribute meaningfully  to discussions on issues of  Electoral Politics in Ghana
WEEK NO	Date	Lecture Course	Tutorials	Venue	Assessment
1-4	04Feb-01 Mar 2019	UNDERSTANDING ELECTIONS: 1. Definition, Types, Importance of Elections. 2. Free and Fair Elections and why do elections go bad? 3. Electoral Systems: Proportional Representation, Single/Multi member constituencies, first past the post 4. Electoral Process: Enactment of Electoral Laws, Delimitation of constituency boundaries, registration of voters etc 5. Election Institutions: models and functions of electoral authorities 6. Theories of Voting	Conceptualizing Elections Functions of Elections The Electoral Mechanics Electoral Governance Why do people vote?	Lecture: JQB 23 Tutorial: DLR
5	04- 08 Mar 2019	PRE-INDEPENDENCE ELECTIONS: 1951, 1954 and 1956.	The electoral dominance of the CPP	Lecture: JQB 23 Tutorial: DLR
6	11-15 Mar 2019	IMMEDIATE POST-INDEPENDENCE ELECTIONS: 1960 referendum and elections; 1964 One-Party Referendum; 1965 No-contest	One-Party Elections	Lecture: JQB 23 Tutorial: DLR
7-8	18-29 Mar 2019	POST-INDEPENDENCE MULTIPARTY AND NO-PARTY ELECTIONS: 1969, 1978 union government referendum and 1979 Elections	Contexts, Processes , Outcomes  and Lessons for the Fourth Republic	Lecture: JQB 23 Tutorial: DLR
9-11	01-19 Apr 2019	ELECTIONS IN THE FOURTH REPUBLIC: 1992 Referendum, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2008, 2012 & 2016 Elections	Transition elections, Alternation in Power, Presidential Runoff	Lecture: JQB 23 Tutorial: DLR
12-13	22 Apr-03  May 2019	ELECTORAL ISSUES: Ethnicity, Economy, Incumbency,  Challenges  & Prospects of Democratic Consolidation	Implications of Issues for Electoral Politics In Ghana	Lecture: JQB 23 Tutorial: DLR

READING LIST

MAIN TEXT:  Frempong, A. K. D. (2015). Elections in Ghana (1951-2016) Accra: DigiBooks.  COMPULSORY AND AVAILABLE AT DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL OFFICE.

Agyeman-Duah, B. (2005). Elections and electoral politics in Ghana's Fourth Republic (No. 18). Ghana Center for Democratic Development.

Amoah, M. (2009). The most difficult decision yet: Ghana's 2008 presidential elections. African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 3(4), 174.

Austin, D., & Luckham, R. (2014). Politicians and soldiers in Ghana 1966-1972. Routledge.

Ayee, A. R. J. (1997). Ghana’s 1996 General Elections: A Post-mortem, Harare: AAPS Occasional Paper Series, 1(1)

Ayee, J. R. (Ed.). (1998). The 1996 General elections and democratic consolidation in Ghana. Department of Political Science University of Ghana.

Ayee, J. R. (Ed.). (2001). Deepening Democracy in Ghana: politics of the 2000 elections. Freedom.

Boafo-Arthur, K. (Ed.). (2006). Voting for Democracy in Ghana: Thematic studies (Vol. 1). Freedom Publications.

Boahen, A. A. (1975). Ghana: Evolution and Change in the 19th and 20th Centuries.

Chazan, N. (1983). An anatomy of Ghanaian politics: Managing political recession, 1969-1982. Westview Press.

Debrah, E. (2004). The Politics of Elections: Opposition and Incumbency in Ghana\'s 2000 Elections. Africa Insight, 34(2/3), 3-15.

Debrah, E. (2009). The economy and regime change in Ghana, 1992-2004. Ghana Social Science Journal, 5(1), 84-113.

Debrah, E. (2011). Measuring governance institutions' success in Ghana: the case of the electoral commission, 1993–2008. African Studies, 70(1), 25-45.

Debrah, E. (2016). The Ghanaian Voter and the 2008 General Election. Politikon, 43(3), 371-387.

Gyimah-Boadi, E. (1997). The Challenges ahead, Ghana’s Encouraging Elections. Journal of Democracy, 8(2), 78-91.

Gyimah-Boadi, E. (1999). Ghana: the challenges of consolidating democracy. Richard Joseph, State, conflict and democracy in Africa, London: Lynne Rienner, 409-427.

Gyimah-Boadi, E. (2001). A peaceful turnover in Ghana. Journal of Democracy, 12(2), 103-117.

Gyimah-Boadi, E. (2009). Another step forward for Ghana. Journal of Democracy, 20(2), 138-152.

Hayward, F. M. (Ed.). (1987). Elections in independent Africa. Westview Pr.

Jeffries, R. (1980). The Ghanaian elections of 1979. African Affairs, 79(316), 397-414.

Jeffries, R. (1993). The Ghana Elections of 1992. African Affairs, 92(368).331-366.

Jeffries, R. (1998). The Ghanaian elections of 1996: towards the consolidation of democracy?. African Affairs, 97(387), 189-208.

Jockers, H., Kohnert, D., & Nugent, P. (2010). The successful Ghana election of 2008: a convenient myth?. The Journal of Modern African Studies, 48(1), 95-115.Longman.

Oquaye, M. (1995). The Ghanaian Elections of 1992--A Dissenting View. African Affairs, 94(375), 259-275.

Owusu, M. (1979). Politics without parties: Reflections on the union government proposals in Ghana. African Studies Review, 22(1), 89-108.

Plagiarism Policy

Be reminded of UG Plagiarism Policy (Refer to UG Public Affairs Website)

Examination

Interim Assessment: Two sit-in Assignments (for 30 marks). Time would be indicated later.

End of Semester Examination: Two-&-Half-Hour Paper of two Sections. Section A: 50 short-answer questions (compulsory for 50marks) and Section B: three-essay questions (answer any one for 20marks)