COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST
FOR POLI 452: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORM AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA
University of Ghana
Department of Political Science
Second Semester, 2018/2019 Academic Year
Lecture: Thursdays, 11.30-13.20,
JQB 23
Lecturers: Dr. Maame A. A. Gyekye-Jandoh
and Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
Offices: HOD’s office and Room 14, Political Science
Dept.
Office hours (Dr. Gyekye-Jandoh):
Mon. and Tues. 11:00 am to 1: 30 pm
(Dr. Asah-Asante): Thurs. 8-10 am
E-mails:
Dr. Maame A. A. Gyekye-Jandoh mgyekyej@yahoo.com
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Course Title
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Political and Economic Reform
and Democracy in Africa
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Course Code
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POLI 452
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Purpose and Objectives
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Course Description and Objectives:
The course is designed to help
upper level undergraduate students understand and appreciate the various
political and economic reforms that have characterized politics and public
management in Africa south of the Sahara (sub-Saharan Africa). It also
explores and examines democratization against the backdrop of the differences
in the democratization experiences of the various countries across time and
space. This course requires quality participation by all registered students
since most class discussions will expect students to give examples of some of
the reforms they have heard, read about or seen in sub-Saharan Africa. In
essence, students are required to be widely read in order to make meaningful
contributions in class.
Course
Expectations:
Students are expected to complete all assigned readings
before class and also participate in class discussions. It is expected that
at the end of the semester, students of this course should be able to:
discuss the characteristics of democratization in sub-Saharan Africa;
understand and analyze elections and electoral systems in the continent;
appreciate the role of political institutions in Africa’s democratic process,
and be able to critique the various political and economic reforms that the
continent has experimented with over time.
Grading System:
Interim Assessment (IA) — 30%
Final Exam — 70%
Total Mark/Grade — 100%
Students
should note that academic dishonesty will
not be tolerated in this class. (See
University Handbook for penalties).
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Week
No.
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Date
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Lecture
Course
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Tutorials
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Venue
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Assessment
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1
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Thursday,
7th February, 2019
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a) Introductions
b) Course overview
c) The state of Africa during and after colonial rule
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Lecture: JQB 23
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2
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14th
February, 2019
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Policies
and Programmes of the new African States
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Lecture: JQB 23
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3
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21st
February, 2019
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Governance
Crises and Reforms in Africa
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Lecture: JQB 23
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4
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28th
February, 2019
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Three
Broad Approaches to Economic Transformation
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Lecture: JQB 23
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5
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7th
March, 2019
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Trajectory
and Waves of Democracy in Africa
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Lecture: JQB 23
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6
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14th
March, 2019
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Transitions
to Democracy in Africa
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Lecture: JQB 23
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7
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21st
March, 2019
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Political
Reforms in the three branches of government (in Africa)
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Lecture: JQB 23
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Interim
Assessment (30%)
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8
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28th
March, 2019
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Elections,
electoral systems and reforms in Africa
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Lecture: JQB 23
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9
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4th
April, 2019
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Political
Institutions and Democratization in Africa
- The Role of Political Parties
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Lecture: JQB 23
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10
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11th
April, 2019
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Political
Institutions and Democratization in Africa – The Role of the Media
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Lecture: JQB 23
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11
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18th
April, 2019
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Civil
Society/NGOs in Democracy and Development in Africa
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Lecture: JQB 23
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12
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25th
April, 2019
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Improving
Governance, Managing Conflicts and Rebuilding States
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Lecture: JQB 23
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13
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2nd
May, 2019
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a)
Assessing Political and Economic Reforms in Africa
b)
Revision
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Revision
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Lecture: JQB 23
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15 - 16
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Final Exam (70%)
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Interim Assessment
- Each student will present an
annotated bibliography of 10 books/articles on a combination of the
following topics: democratic governance, corruption, anti-corruption,
leadership, development, democracy, political reforms, economic reforms,
women empowerment, civil society organizations (interest groups), public management,
political parties, the media, donor support, foreign direct investment,
the judiciary, the legislature, and elections.
- Each student will write a
1500 word analytical research essay, which shall be given to you during
the IA period. You should rely on at least 10 reference materials.
REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED READINGS
Afigbo,
A.E., Ayandele, E.A, Gavin, R.J.& Omer-Cooper, J.D. (1986). The Making
of Modern Africa: Harlow, Addison Wesley Longman.
Aggrey-Darkoh, E., & Asare, B. E. (2016). Understanding the nexus
between traditional and modern political orders in Ghana. Archives of Current Research International, 3 (1), 1-11.
Ake,
C. (1996). Democracy and Development in Africa. Washington, D.C.: The
Brookings Institution.
Alidu, S. and Gyekye-Jandoh, M.A.A. (2016). Civil Society and Democratic
Governance in Ghana: Emerging Roles and Challenges. Contemporary Journal of African Studies, 4(1), 1-24.
Asah-Asante,
K. & Brako, I. (2015). Understanding Political Institutions. Accra:
Black Mask.
Asah-Asante,
K. (2019) Understanding Political Institutions. 2nded. Accra:
Black Mask.
Asare Bossman (2009) The African Union, Multi-level Governance and
Accountability in Africa, Legon Journal
of International Affairs, 6 (2), 121-137
Asare, B
& Frempong, A. (Eds). (2017). Selected issues in Ghana’s democracy, volume
1. Tema-
Ghana: Digibooks
Asare, Bossman (2012) Unitarism and
Presidentialism: Political Institutions and Corruption in Public Management in
Ghana, Journal of Public Administration
and Policy Research, 4(2) pp.32-41.
Bevir,
M. (2009) Key Concepts in Governance. California: Sage Publications.
Boahen,
A. (1986). Topic in West Africa History. Essex: Longmangroup UK Ltd.
Brako,
I. & Asah-Asante, K. (2018). The ABC of Political Science. (2nd
ed.) Accra: Black Mask.
Bratton,
M. (1999). Second Elections in Africa. In L. Diamond & M. F. Plattner
(Eds.). Democratization in Africa. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins
University Press.
Chazan, N., Mortimer, R. Ravenhill, J. &
Rothchild, D. (1992). Politics and
Society in Contemporary in Africa. Colorado: Lynne Rienner Publishers
Diamond,
L. (1999). Assessing Africa’s Third Wave. In L. Diamond & M. F.
Plattner (Eds.). Democratization in Africa. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins
University Press.
Gyekye-Jandoh, M A. A. and Asare, B. (2015). The Dynamics of Civil
Society-Government Interface in Ghana: 1980-2010. African Journal of Democracy and Governance, 2 (3 and 4), 53-75.
Gyekye-Jandoh, M.
A. A. (2018). The Role of Civil Society in Ghana’s Democratization: A Case
Study of the 2008 General Elections. in Quartey, P., Agyei-Mensah, S., Codjoe,
S.N.A., and B. Bamba. eds. Multidisciplinary
Perspectives on Transformation in Africa. Accra: Sub-Saharan African
Publishers.
Gyekye-Jandoh,
M.A.A. (2017). Elections and Democracy in Africa since 2000: An Update on the
Pertinent Issues. In Asare, B., Frempong, A.K.D. eds. Selected Issues in Ghana’s Democracy, vol. 1. Accra: Digi Books,
11-28.
Gyekye-Jandoh, Maame A. A. 2013. ‘Electoral Reform
and Gradual Democratization in Africa: The Case of Ghana’. African
Journal of Social Sciences, Volume 3, Number 2, 74-92.
Gyimah-Boadi, E. (1997). Civil Society in Africa. In
Diamond, L., Plattner, F., Yun-han Chu & Tien, H. (Eds). Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies: Themes and Perspectives. Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins Press Ltd.
Gyimah-Boadi,
E. (2004). Civil Society and Democratic Development. In E. Gyimah-Boadi
(Ed), Democratic Reforms in Africa: The
Quality of Progress (pp.99-120). London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Gyimah-Boadi, E. (2007). Political Parties, Elections
and Patronage Random Thoughts on Neo-Patrimonialism and African
Democratization. In Basedau, M., Drdmann, G.& Mehler, A. (Eds.). Votes, Money & Violence.Uppsala:
University of KwaZulu-Natal Press.
Gyimah-Boadi, E. (Editor) (2004). Democratic
reform in Africa: the quality of progress.
Lynne Reinner.
Gyimah-Boadi,
E. Africa: The Quality of Political Reform. In E. Gyimah-Boadi (Ed), Democratic Reforms in Africa: The Quality of
Progress (pp.5-28). London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
Handelman, H. (2000). The
challenge of third world development, 2nd edition. New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.
Lindberg,
S. (2006). Democracy and elections in Africa. Baltimore: The Johns
Hopkins University Press.
Lipset,
S.,M., Diamond, L. Finifter, A. W., Lapidus, G.W., Lijphart, A. Linz, J.J.,
Pye, L.W., Quester, G.H.& Schmitter, P.C. (1995). The Encyclopaedia of
Democracy. Congressional. Vol. II. Washington, D.C: Quarterly Inc.
Matthew Lockwood (2006) The state
they’re in: an agenda for international action on poverty in Africa, second
edition.UK: Practical Action Publishing.
Payne, R.J. (2007). Global Issues:
politics, economics, and culture. New York: Pearson Longman.
Rose, R. (2005). Learning from
comparative public policy: a practical guide. New York: Routledge.
Schraeder,
P.J. (2000). African Politics and Society: A Mosaic in Transformation. Boston:
Bedford/St. Martin’s
Seitz, J.L. (2008). Global Issues:
an introduction, 3rd edition. Massachusetts: Blackwell
Publishing.
Shardow, M. S., & Asare, B. E. (2016). Media ownership and
independence: implications for democratic governance in the Fourth Republic of
Ghana. Journal of Pan African Studies, 9 (9), 179-199.
The World Bank (2000). Can Africa
claim the 21st century? The World Bank: Washington, D.C.
Thomson,
A. (2004). An Introduction to Africa Politics. 2nd. New York:
Rouledge.
van
de Walle, N. (2004). Economic Reform: Patterns and Constraints. In E.
Gyimah-Boadi (Ed), Democratic Reforms in
Africa: The Quality of Progress (pp.29-64). London: Lynne Rienner Publishers.
World
Bank (2000). Can Africa claim the 21st century? World Bank:
Washington, D.C.
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