COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST FOR POLI 441: POLITICAL ECONOMY OF AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT SINCE INDEPENDENCE

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

University of Ghana

POLI 441: The Political Economy of Africa’s Development since Independence

Course Outline and Reading List

First Semester 2014/2015 

Lecturers: Dr. S. M. Alidu/Mr. K. Jonah               Contact: skkytosh@yahoo.com

Time and Venue:       Wednesday’s 7:30 – 9:20 (Group A) JQB 23                                      

                                     Friday’s 9:30 – 11:20 (Group B) CC

This course introduces students to the interaction between politics and economics and its implication for Africa’s development.  It will examine both domestic and international forces that influence Africa’s development since independence, the continent’s response to these developmental challenges and the contending theories that shaped those responses. It is expected that students will be able to identify and discuss the different theories that underpin the International Political Economy and apply them to the various developmental challenges of Africa and other parts of the world in similar circumstances.

TOPICS:

Development Strategy in Historical Perspectives

• Chang, H.-J. (2005) Kicking Away the Ladder: Developing Strategy in Historical Perspective, London: Anthem Press (Chapter 1, “Introduction: How did the Rich Countries Really Rich?,” pp. 1 – 9)

• Wade, R. H. (2003) Governing the Market: Economic Theory and the role of Government in East Asia’s Industrialization, Princeton: Princeton University Press (“Introduction”)

• Bardhan, P. (1993) “Symposium on Democracy and Development” Journal of Economic Perspectives, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 45-49

• Nye, J. (1991) “The Myth of Free-Trade Britain and Fortress France: Tariffs and Trade in the Nineteenth Century” Journal of Economic History, Vol. 53, No.1, pp. 23-46

The Political Economy Framework

• DfID (2009) Political Economy Analysis:  How to Note. A DfID Practice Paper, July

• Hickey, S. (2007) Conceptualizing the Politics of Social Protection in Africa. BWPI Working Paper 4, October

• Whitfield, L. (2011) Competitive Clientelism, Easy Financing and Weak Capitalist: the Contemporary Political Settlements in Ghana. DIIS Working Paper 27

Theoretical Approaches and Contending Perspectives in IPE

• Ravenhill, J. (ed) (2005) Global Political Economy, Oxford: Oxford University Press, (Part One, pp. 3 – 47)

• O’Brien, R. and Williams, M. (2004) Global Political Economy: Evolution and Dynamics, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, (Chp. 1, Understanding the Global Political Economy, pp. 11 – 36)

• Jackson, R.  and Sorensen, G. (2003) Introduction to International Relations Theories and Approaches, Oxford: Oxford University Press (Chp. 6, International Political Economy Theories (IPE): Classical Theories, pp. 175 – 193;  Chp. 8, International Political Economy: Contemporary Debates).

• Oatley, T. (2008) International Political Economy: Interests and Institutions in the Global Economy, Third Edition, New York: Pearson Education, Inc. (Chp. 1: International Political Economy, pp. 2 – 21)

Aid and Africa’s Development   

• Dambisa, M. (2009) Dead Aid: Why Aid is not Working and How there is a Better Way for Africa. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, (Part I: The World of Aid, pp. 3 – 68)

• World Bank (2000) Can Africa Claim the 21^st Century? Washington DC: World Bank (Chp. 8: “Reducing Aid Dependence and Debt and Strengthening Partnerships”, pp. 235 – 255)

• World Bank (2002) A Case for Aid: Building a Consensus for Development Assistance, Washington DC: World Bank (Part II: Nicholas Stern “Making the Case for Aid” pp.  15 – 24)

• Neumayer, E. (2003) The Pattern of Aid Giving: the Impact of Good Governance on Development Assistance, London: Routledge

•  Arslanalp, Serkan and Peter Blair Henry (2004) “Helping the Poor Help Themselves: Debt Relief or Aid?”, NBER Working Paper N0. 10230, January

Globalization and Africa’s Development  

•  Wolf, M.  (2004) Why Globalization Works, New Haven: Yale University Press (Chp. 2, What Liberal Globalization Means, pp. 13 – 22; Chp.7, Globalization in the Long Run, pp. 96 – 105)   

• Stiglitz, J. E.  (2002)  Globalization and its Discontents, New York: W.W. Norton and Company (Chp. 9, The Way Ahead, pp. 214 – 252)

• Wade, R. (2005) “Globalization, Poverty and Inequality” in Ravenhill, J. (ed)   Global Political Economy, Oxford: Oxford University Press

• Boafo-Arthur, K. (2003) “Tackling Africa’s Developmental Dilemmas: Is Globalization the Answer?” Journal of Third World Studies, Vol. XX, No. 1, Spring, pp. 27 – 54

Responses to Africa’s Economic Quandary

• Callaghy, T.M. and Ravenhill, J.  (eds.) (1993) Hemmed In: Responses to Africa’s Economic Decline, New York: Columbia University Press (Introduction “Vision, Politics and Structure: Afro-Optimism, Afro-Pessimism, or Reality”)

• Chang, H. (2005) Kicking Away the Ladder: Development Strategy in Historical Perspective, London: Anthem Press (Chp. 3, Institutions and Economic Development: “Good Governance” in Historical Perspective, pp. 69 – 110) 

• Sen, A.  (1999) Development as Freedom, Oxford: Oxford University Press, (Chp. 1, The Perspective of Freedom, pp. 13 – 34; Chp. 2, The Ends and Means of Development, pp.  35 – 53)   

• The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (www.nepad.org.)

• The Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview.html)