POLI 346: AFRICA AND THE GLOBAL SYSTEM COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

POLI 346: AFRICA AND THE GLOBAL SYSTEM

SECOND SEMESTER, 2012/2013

Lecturer: N-L. Kuditchar

Lecture time and venue: Wednesdays, 3:30 pm-5:25pm at NNB1

Tutorial time (s)                                       Venue (s): 
        Monday        9am-10am                      N 17
        Wednesday   2pm - 3pm                      DLR 8

email: lkuditchar@ug.edu.gh

Office hours: Wednesdays 10:00 am-1:00 pm and by appointment

Introduction

This course examines aspects of the evolution of the global economy and  political system and how they shaped developments within Africa. The beginning of the European capitalist system and its international expansion drew African societies into patterns of global economic production and political pressures in ways that were unique relative to other parts of the world. For this reason this course will start with a focus on the early stages of European capitalism and expansion and its impact on African societies in the form of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonial rule. The end of the colonial era (which roughly coincided with the commencement of the Cold War) marked the age of ‘European like states’ in Africa and a new phase of Africa’s interaction with the rest of the World.  Throughout Cold War, African politics and economics were shaped by pressures exerted either by the USSR or USA. The end of the Cold War period led to global transformations that resulted in new political and economic dynamics in African states. The relevant issues that underpin this course will be refracted through Johan Galtung’s Structural Theory of Imperialism in order to place the course in a proper theoretical perspective.  

Course objectives: Upon a successful completion of this course students should be able to

·         State and explain the main tenets of Galtung’s theory of structural imperialism

·         State and explain the factors that sustained and lead to the abolishing of the transatlantic slave trade.

·         State and explain the main features of European colonial rule and patterns of resistance in Africa.

·         Raise and explain issues that illuminate how the Cold War impacted and shaped African politics; how post-Cold War transformations reset the nature of Africa’s relations with the rest of the world; how the global financial and economic crisis and small arms industry affects African states.

·         Cite and explain factors that underpin the strategic relevance of Africa's crude oil resources to world economic powers

Course expectations

Students must

·    complete all reading assignments by their due dates and actively participate in class discussions.

·    attend lectures regularly and take part in an interim assessment and end of semester exams.

Structure of examinations and grading principles.

·    Your final grade will be determined based on grades from two examinations: a mid-semester and an end of semester exam.

·    Your mid-semester exam will

-be based on readings from weeks 2-4,

-account for 30% of your final grade.

-require short responses to questions posed.

-be conducted on the 13^th of March 2013 at NNB1.    

·    End of semester exam will

- be based on a pool of six questions out of which you select and provide essay type answers to three.

-account for the remaining 70% of your final grade.

-be based on topics from weeks 6-12.

·    Your final grade will be based on the following mark ranges: 80+-A, 75-79-B+, 70-74-B, 65-69-C+, 60-64-C, 55-59-D+, 50-54-D, 45-49-E, 45-0-F.

WEEK	DATE	LECTURE TOPIC	TUTORIAL TOPIC
1	30/01/13	Introduction to POLI 314
2	06/02/13	Theoretical consideration: Johan Galtung's A Structural theory of Imperialism
3	13/02/13	Africa, European Capitalist Expansion and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade [TAST]	Dynamics and effects of TAST in Africa; Abolition of TAST: Impact and reactions in Africa.
4	20/02/13	European Colonial Rule in Africa: Scramble for, Partition of and occupation of Africa 1900-1945.	Dynamics and African resistance; African Nationalism.
5	27/02/13	The Cold War and African States	Proxy Wars and Neo-Liberal Economic restructuring.
6	6/03/13	The Post-Cold War and African States	The Democratic Wave and Political Conditionality Africa's strategic relevance to global powers.
7	13/03/13	Post-Cold War US-Africa Relations: The African Growth and Opportunity Act [AGOA] and The US-Africa Command [AFRICOM]	The AGOA and AFRICOM: Controversies
8	20/03/13	Post-Cold War European-Africa Relations: The Economic Partnership Agreements [EPAs]	EPA Controversies.
9	3/04/13	Africa and the BRICS Counties	Key features of Post-Cold War Sino-Africa Relations
10	10/04/13	Africa and Post-Cold War Global Economic and Financial Crisis	Impact, Challenges and African government policy responses.
11	17/04/13	Africa and the Post-Cold War Global Small Arms Trade.	Patterns and Challenges
12	24/04/13	Africa and the Global Crude Oil Political Economy	The New Scramble?
13	REVISON

RECOMMENDED READING FOR EACH LECTURE SESSION

Week 2: Theoretical consideration: Johan Galtung's A Structural theory of Imperialism.

• Galtung, J., (1971), A Structural Theory of Imperialism, Journal of Peace Research, Vol.8,No.2,81-117. [Required pages to be read: 81-99]

Week 3: Africa, European Capitalist Expansion and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade [TAST]

• Uzoigwe, G.N., (1981) "European Partition and Conquest of Africa: An Overview" in A. Adu Boahen (ed) General History of Africa, VII: Africa Under Colonial Domination (1880-1935)  (California: University of California Press) [Required pages to be read: 19-62]
• Okoth, A.(2006) A History of Africa, Vol.I 1800-1914 (Kampala: East Africa Educational Publishers, Ltd.]; Required pages : Chapter 2: The Scramble and Partition of Africa, pp. 44-53.

Week 4:  European Colonial Rule in Africa: Scramble for, Partition of  and occupation of Africa 1900-1945

·         Okoth. A. (2006) A History of Africa, Vol.I 1800-1914 (Kampala: East Africa Educational Publishers, Ltd.] Required pages Chapter 1: African Nationalism, pp.1-12; Chapter 2: De-colonisation in British and French West Africa pp. 21-35.

Week 5: The Cold War and African States

·         Thomson, A. (2009) An Introduction to African Politics (London: Routledge)

Week 6: The Post Cold War and African States

·         Thomson, A. (2009) An Introduction to African Politics (London: Routledge)

·         van de Walle, N. (2001) African Economies and the Politics of Permanent Crisis (1979-199) (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press)

·         Healey, J. and Robinson, M. (1994) Democracy, Governance and Economic Policy: Sub-Saharan Africa in Comparative Perspective (Nottingham:  Oversees Development Institute) Required pages: Chapter 8: Political Liberalization and Democratic Transition,pp.126-137.

Week 7: Post Cold War US-Africa Relations: The African Growth and Opportunity Act [AGOA] and  US-Africa Command [AFRICOM]

·  McCormick, R (2006) The African Growth and Opportunity Act: the Perils of Pursuing African Development Through US Trade Law, Texas International Law Journal Vol. 41:339

·  Govern, K.H. (2008)21st Century Africa as An "Arc of (In)Stability": US and African Economic, Security, and Development Policies through US-Africa Command initiatives, Connecticut Journal of International Law,Vol.26:281.PLEASE NOTE: I will inform you in class on which specific issues and pages to focus on when you read the recommended literature for week 7.

Week 8:  Post Cold War Euro-Africa Relations: The Economic Partnership Agreements [EPAs]

·  Ukpe, A.I., (2010) Will the EU-Africa Economic Partnership Agreements Foster the Integration of African Countries into the Global Trading System? available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=1145537 accessed: 08/12/12. PLEASE NOTE: I will inform you in class which specific issues and pages to focus on when you read the recommended literature for week 7.

Week 9: Africa and the BRICS Countries

·  van de Looy,J (2012) Africa and China: A Strategic Partnership? (Leiden: African Studies Center)

·  Lee, M.C., Melber, H., Naidu, S. and Taylor, I (2007) China in Africa (Uppsala: Nordiska Afrikainstitutet) Recommended Chapters: Henning Melber: The (Not So) New Kid on the Block: China and the Scramble for Africa's Resources-An Introductory Review; Ian Taylor: Unpacking China's Resource Diplomacy in Africa.

 Week 10: Africa and the Post-Cold War Global Economic and Financial Crisis

·  Devarajan, S. and Kasekende, L.A. (2011) Africa and the Global Economic Crisis: Impacts, Policy Responses and Political Economy, African Development 23,421-438.doi:10.1111/j.1467-8268.2011.00296.x

Week 11: Africa and the Post-Cold War Global Small Arms Trade

·  Schroeder, M. and Lamb, G. (2006) The Illicit Arms Trade in Africa: A Global Enterprise, Africa Analyst, Third Quarter, Issue 1.

Week 12: Africa and the Global Crude Oil Political Economy.

·  Hurst, C. (2006) China's Oil Rush in Africa available at www.iags.org accessed: 07/13/2012.  

                                           ATTENTION PLEASE

the full complement of recommended literature for this course IS available at the General Office of the Department of Political Science.

I wish you all the best. See you in class on Wednesday. Thank you for your  attention.