DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. SECOND SEMESTER 2019/2020 ACADEMIC YEAR
COURSE
SYLLABUS
PROGRAMME: MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (MPHIL)
Course Code and Title: POLI 634: THE FOREIGN POLICY OF GHANA
Credits: FOUR CREDIT HOURS
Lecture Period(s) and Venue:
Thursdays 7:30am - 9:20am, JQB 24
Course Instructor(s): S.K.M AHIAWORDOR Office: Room#6,
Political Science Department
Office Hours: Wednesday 10:00 am-3:00pm and Thursday
9:30am-3:30pm and any other working day by appointment only.
 |
Course Objectives/Goal:
The
course seeks to;
·
Examine the internal and external attributes of Ghana’s foreign policy environment
·
Discuss the policy tools and instruments of
foreign policy formulation in Ghana
·
Explore the nature of Ghana’s foreign policy
from a historical perspective, i.e. the nature of foreign policies of
successive regimes since independence
·
Critically analyze the phenomenon of continuity
and change in Ghana’s foreign policy making and implementation.
Course Requirements: Students are expected to have a good and
general knowledge of world affairs, be familiar with theories of International
relations, be well-grounded in reading comprehension and analytical skills.
They are also expected to be regular and active participants at lectures and
class discussions. The course has a lecture and discussion format. Students
will be expected to make frequent paper presentation on assigned topics.
Mode of Assessment of Students: Students will be required to write
a number of term papers (typed on A4 paper and double spacing). These papers
will constitute 30% of the final grade. Students will be penalized for late
submission of term papers. Regular attendance, active participation in class
and seminar presentations shall constitute part of the assessment. A three-hour
final examination shall carry 70%.
Plagiarism Policy: The University frowns on plagiarism which it
considers as a very dishonest intellectual practice. Consequently, it is an
offence to plagiarize the work of others without duly acknowledging the source.
Students who engage in this dishonest act will be severely sanctioned in
accordance with the rules and regulations of the University. For the avoidance
of doubt, students may access the plagiarism policy on the University of Ghana
Public Affairs or the AQAU webpage.
Grading Scale: For information on grading scale, students are
advised to refer to the relevant pages of the Graduate Handbook.
Course Delivery
Schedule
Week
|
Dates
|
Topics
|
Summary of issues to be
discussed
|
1
|
4th-8th
Feb.
|
Introduction
to course Administrative elements of the course/course structure.
|
The course
content and issues of importance to be discussed during the semester will be
introduced to the students.
|
2
|
11th-15th
Feb.
|
Understanding
the driving force of Ghana’s foreign policy- Ghana’s National Interest
|
Here, we will review what foreign policy is, what is national
interest and what constitutes Ghana’s
national interest.
|
3
|
18th-22nd
Feb.
|
Major
determinants of Ghana’s foreign policy. Attributes/Principles
|
This topic
will discuss Ghana’s foreign policy environment and an analysis of the
domestic and
external forces that influence Ghana’s foreign policy.
|
4
|
25thFeb.-
1st March
|
Major actors
in Ghana’s foreign policy making and implementation
|
This entails the examination of the role of various actors in the
foreign policy formulation and
implementation stages.
|
5
|
4th-8th
March
|
Setting the agenda for
Ghana’s foreign policy: The Nkrumah Years
|
Here, we
will consider the factors which influenced the formulation
and implementation stages.
|
6
|
11th-15th March
|
The foreign policy of the progress party government
|
The progress party’s foreign policy will be examined. Issues such as
the Aliens Compliance Order, the dialogue policy and economic diplomacy of
the regime will be considered.
|
7
|
18th-22nd
March
|
Ghana’s
foreign policy under the National Redemption Council and the supreme military
council
|
The discussion will focus
on Acheampong’s debt reputation policy and his African policy
|
8
|
25th-29th
March
|
Mid Term Review
|
Mid Term Review
|
9
|
1st-5th
April
|
Continuity and change in Ghana’s
foreign policy: The Rawlings Era
|
Ghana’s foreign policy under the
PNDC and NDC I will be discussed
|
10
|
8th-12th
April
|
Good neighborliness and economic diplomacy under President Kufour
|
President Kufour’s foreign policy of good neighborliness and economic
diplomacy will be examined.
|
11
|
15th-19th
April
|
Ghana’s foreign policy
under President Mills and John Mahama
|
The foreign policy of NDC
2 under President Mills and John Mahama
will be discussed.
|
12
|
22nd-26th April
|
Ghana’s foreign policy under President Akuffo Addo
|
The
discussion of the foreign policy pursued so far since January 2017, under
president
Akuffo Addo
|
13
|
29thApril-
3rd May
|
Course Review and Evaluation
|
Course Review
|
14-17
|
6th-25th
May
|
Revision and Exams
|
Examination
|
Reading
List/Required Text
Allotey
Joseph A. “Ghana’s Foreign Policy in comparison with that of Japan and Russia
since 1960.” (Son life press, 2015)
Arhin Kwame, “The Life and Work
of Nkrumah” (Accra: Sedco, 1991)
Armah Kwesi,
“Peace without Power; Ghana’s Foreign Policy, 1957-66, (Accra, Ghana University
press, 2005). Accra City Campus Library
Asamoah Obed,
“The Political History of Ghana (1950-2013): The Experience of a non-
conformist, (London, UK: Author House Publishers, 2014)
Asante K.B.,
“Foreign Policy Making in Ghana: Options for the 21st Century,
(Accra: Fredrich Ebert Foundation, 1997).
Asante S.K.B.
Setting Straight the Record of Ghana’s Recent Political Past, (Tema, Ghana:
Digibooks Ghana Ltd. 2011)
Asante K.B. The
Political Economy of Regionalism in Africa: A decade of the Economic Community
of West African States (ECOWAS), (Praeger Publishers, NY, 1986)
Acheampong
Colonel I.K. “Radio and Television Broadcast on the Devaluation and the
External Debts”. Saturday, February 5, 1972
Boafo Arthur
Kwame, “Regime change and foreign policy orientation in Ghanaian politics; The
post Nkrumah years in perspective” Inaugural Lecture, University of Ghana 2008.
Boafo Arthur
Kwame, “Trends in Ghana’s foreign policy” in Hansen and Ninsin (eds), The
States Development and Politics in Ghana.
Boafo Arthur
Kwame, “Ghana’s external relations since 31st December 1981” in
Gyimah Boadi (ed), Ghana under PNDC rule.
Bluwey G.K. “The Administration of Foreign Policy
under the Constitution of the 4th Republic” in Greenhill Journal of Administration, vol. II
Libby Roland,
“External co-optation of a less developed country’s policy making” The case of
Ghana, 1969-1972 in world politics, 1976.
Plischke Elmer,
“Foreign Relations: Analysis of its Anatomy, Westport, CT: Greenwood Press,
1988
Nuerchterlin,
Diamond E., “National Interest and Foreign Policy: A conceptual Framework for
Analysis and decision-making” British Journal of International Studies, Vol. 2,
No. 3, Oct. 1976, Printed in Great Britain, pages 246-266
The Inaugural
address of Presidents J.J. Rawlings, J.A. Kufour, John Mills, John Mahama and
Nana Akuffo Addo
The Constitution of the Republic
of Ghana, 1992
Thompson
Scott, Ghana’s foreign policy 1957-1966, Princeton University Press, 1969.
Manifesto of the New Patriotic Party and National Democratic Congress since
1992.
Debrah E.M.
“Lesson from Ghana’s foreign policy since independence” Ghana’s foreign policy
options-proceedings of a conference organized by the Legon Centre for
International Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, LECIA, 2002, Chapt.
4, Pg. 23-42.
Rooney David,
Kwame Nkrumah: Vision and Tragedy , (Accra: Sub-Saharan publishers, 1988). Quarm
S.E. Diplomatic Servant, (Afram Publications, 1997)
Quarm S.E.
Diplomatic Offensive: An Overview of Ghana’s Diplomacy under Dr. Kwame Nkrumah,
(Afram Publications 1997)
Gebe Boni Yao,
“Ghana’s foreign policy at Independence and implications for the 1960 Coup
d’etat” in the Journal of Pan-Africa Studies, Vol. 2, No. 3, March 2008.
Krafona Kwasi, The Pan-African
Movement: Ghana’s Contribuition
