COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST: POLI 452/412 (POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REFORM AND DEMOCRACY IN AFRICA)

 University of Ghana, Department of Political Science (Main and City Campuses)                        

  POLI 452/412: Political and Economic Reform and Democracy in Africa 

  Second Semester, 2013/2014

  Instructors: Dr. Bossman E. Asare,  bossasare@gmail.com  and Dr. Maame Gyekye-Jandoh mgyekeyej@yahoo.com                                                                                            

Class Hours and Venues:  W 930-1120 (JQB 14), Tues 10-12 (ACC) Office - Room 12/6 (P. Science) Office Hours: M 1130-2pm, W 12-3pm (and by appointment)

Course Description and Goals

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 democratizing 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 or seen in sub-Saharan Africa. In essence, students are required to read as many pages as possible of the reading materials provided in the course outline.

·         By the end of the semester students should be able to address the following concerns;

·          Discuss the characteristics of democratization in sub-Saharan Africa

·         Investigate the role of political parties and interest groups in consolidating democracy

·         Examine the relationship between democracy and development broadly conceived

·         What roles did the external and internal influences play in the transition to democracy?

·          Discuss the importance of political parties and interest groups in the promotion of political and economic development.

Required and Recommended Readings

The World Bank (2000). Can Africa claim the 21^st century? The World Bank: Washington, D.C.               Gyimah-Boadi, E. (Editor) (2004). Democratic reform in Africa: the quality of progress. Lynne Reinner.                                                                                                                                                      Lindberg, S. (2006). Democracy and elections in Africa. The Johns Hopkins University Press              Seitz, J.L. (2008). Global Issues: an introduction, 3^rd edition. Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing.                                                                                                                                            Rose, R. (2005). Learning from comparative public policy: a practical guide. New York: Routledge.                                                                                                                                            Payne, R.J. (2007). Global Issues: politics, economics, and culture. New York: Pearson Longman.                                                                                                                                         Handelman, H. (2000). The challenge of third world development, 2^nd edition. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.                                                                                                                                           Matthew Lockwood (2006) The state they’re in: an agenda for international action on poverty in Africa, second edition.UK: Practical Action Publishing.                                                                                                Asare Bossman (2009) The African Union, Multi-level Governance and Accountability in Africa, Legon Journal of International Affairs, 6 (2), 121-137

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.

Interim Assessment

The Interim Assessment will be in the form of a take-home research assignment. The questions will be given to students a week before the submission date.

Final exams

Final exams will consist of a combination of fill in the blanks, short essays, and long essay questions. The final is cumulative, with questions ranging from the first day to the last day of class

Civility Civility in the classroom is expected of all students. Students who disrupt class to the extent that others' educational opportunities are diminished may be asked to leave the classroom. Cell phones must be turned- off at all times in the classroom.

Communicating with your Instructor

 Feel free to stop by and discuss academic matters or concerns with us in the office. All emails sent to either of the instructors should include POLI 452 in the subject line.

Class Attendance and Participation

Attendance will be monitored every class session, and students are expected to regularly and relevantly contribute to class discussions by raising questions and making salient comments. For the purpose of class participation, which is compulsory, students are encouraged to gather information from news sources on Africa, such as the New York Times online, Yahoo News, Google News, Al Jazeera, the Associated Press, Reuters, BBC, DWTV, Christian Science Monitor, Wall Street Journal online, and the Washington Post online. This will be an opportunity for students to make oral contributions, in addition to the regular lectures and discussions.

Learning Disability Students

Any student with an officially recognized disability should make fitting arrangements with the university, not the instructors.

Plagiarism and Cheating

Plagiarism, which is representing somebody’s work as your own, as well as cheating in all forms, must be avoided. These behaviors are punishable by the university. More specifically, any form of academic dishonesty must be avoided, since it affects you as an individual and the university as a whole.

Grading

Grades are based on the following:

Research Papers         30%           

Final Exams               70%       80+ A, 75-79 B+, 70-74 B, 65-69 C+, 60-64 C                                                                                                                      * 55-59 D+, 50-54 D,   45-49 E.                                                                                                  

Course Calendar

Week 1- February 11/12

Introduction to the Course

Week 2 February 18/19

Democracy in Global and African Perspectives

Week 3 February 25/26

Transition to Democracy in Africa- External Influences

Week 4 March 4/5

Transition to Democracy in Africa- Internal Influences

Week 5 March 11/12

Learning From Elsewhere to Promote Political and Economic Development

Week 6 March 18/19

Presidential and Parliamentary Democracies in Africa

Week7 March 25/26

Political Institutions and Democratization - Political Parties

Week 8 April 1/2

 Political Institutions and Democratization in Africa- Interest Groups/ Media/Social Movements

Week 9 April 8/9

Political Institutions and the Prevalence of Corruption in Africa-is there a way for a closure?

Week 10 April 15/16

Economic Reforms – Approaches to Reforms and Emphasis on Promoting the Private Sector in Economic Transformation

Week 11 April 22/23

Economic Reforms-Africa’s International Trade, Foreign Direct Investment, Global North Countries, and the Global Economic Institutions

Week 12 April 22/23

African Regionalism in the Contest of Political and Economic Reforms

Week 13 May 6/7-Seminar Discussions on the Effectiveness of Reforms in Africa