COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST - POLI 448: ISSUES IN AFRICA'S INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON

POLI 448: ISSUES IN AFRICA’S INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

COURSE OUTLINE AND READING LIST

SECOND SEMESTER, 2015/2016 ACADEMIC YEAR

LECTURER:  S.K.M. AHIAWORDOR

E-mail address:  ahiawordor2000@yahoo.com

OFFICE: Room #6, Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course introduces students to the complexities of the African continent and the salient issues that inform its everyday interactions with the rest of the world.  It also introduces the students to the understanding of pertinent and topical issues that influence and affect Africa’s international relations.  It examines the role of the international community and African states themselves in the handling of such issues.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The primary objective for offering this course is to encouraged students to appreciate and identify some of the contemporary issues that have engaged the attention of African states and to encourage them to form their independent judgements on such pertinent issues.  Students will also be able to appreciate how such issues so identified affect Africa’s development vis-a-vis the rest of the world.

READINGS

Every week, there are assigned topics for discussion.  It is important and mandatory for students prepare to effectively contribute to such discussions.  Reading materials listed below must be read for a decent grade in the course.  The readings have been selected to provide a sure basis for effective class/tutorial discussions.  However, these readings are just representative of an entire body of literature which students must familiarise themselves with.  The use of internet sources for additional information is advised and encouraged.  Students are however seriously cautioned against plagiarism.  Students are further advised to consult other relevant sources for materials to supplement the recommended texts.

MODE OF ASSESSMENT

Students will be expected to attend lectures for thirteen (13) weeks; each lecture lasting for two (2) hours.

There shall be two different forms of assessment which shall include an interim assessment to be conducted in the middle of the semester and an end of semester sit-in examination.

The interim assessment test shall constitute 30 marks while the end of semester examination shall carry 70 marks.  It is compulsory for all students to take part in these two tests.

There shall be one week of revision immediately prior to the end of semester examinations.

TOPICS AND RECOMMEDED READINGS

Week 1  – Overview of Africa’s role in the international system and the evolution of

                  Africa’s International Relations.

·         Ake, Claude, (1981), A Political Economy of Africa, United Kingdom: Longman Group (Chapters 1 & 2).

·         Charzan, et. al. (1992), Politics and Society in Contemporary Africa, Boulder Colorado, Lynne Rienner Publishers (Chapter 1)

·         Rothchild, Donald and Haberson John (eds.) (2000), Africa in World Politics: The African World System in Flux, 3^rd ed., Westview Press, San Francisco (Chapters 1 & 2).

·         Rothchild, Donald and Haberson John (eds.) (1995), Africa in World Politics: Post Cold War Challenges, 2^nd edn. Westview Press, San Francisco, Chapters 1 & 2.

Weeks 2 & 3 – Theoretical Underpinnings of Africa’s International Relations

·         Galtung, J. (1971), “A Structural Theory of Imperialism”, in Journal of Peace Research, Vol.8, No.2, pp.81-117.

·         Dougherty, James and Pfaltzgraff, Jr. (1970), Contending Theories of International Relations, Philadelphia, PA.

Weeks 4 & 5 – Africa and Globalisation

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

·         Sitglitz, J.E. (2002), Globalisation and Its Discontent, New York: W.W. Norton and Company (Chapter 9, pp.214-252).

·         Preeti Phuskele (ed.) (2008), Globalisation: Impact and Implications, Icfai University Press, Hyderabad, India.

·         Stallings, Barbara (ed.) (1995), Global Changes: Regional Response: The New International Context of Development, Cambridge University Press, New York (Chapter 10).

Weeks 6 & 7 – Foreign Aid and Africa’s Debt Crisis

·         Edem Kodjo (1989), Africa Today, Ghana Universities Press, Accra (Chapter 5).

·         David Leonard and Scott Straus (eds.) (2003), Africa’s Stalled Development: International Causes and Cures, Lynne Rienner Publishers, London (Chapters 1, 2 &3).

·         Collier Pau (2007), The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What can be done about it, Oxford University Press, New York (Chapter 7).

Weeks 8 & 9 - Africa and Issues of Human Security (HIV/AIDS, Conflicts and Food

            Insecurity

·         Bluwey, Gilbert (ed.) (2007), Ghana in Search of National Security Policy: Proceedings of a Conference on National Security, Accra, Legon Centre for International Affairs Publication.

·         Sanford Ungar (1986), Africa: The People and Politics of an Emerging Continent, 3^rd edition, Simon and Schuster Inc., New York, 9Chapter 13).

·         Pick William (1999), “Health and Security in Sub-Saharan Africa”, in Lennant Wohlgemutt et. Al. (eds.), Common Security and Civil Society in Africa, Nordiska African Institute Publication.

·         Lennart David and Scott Straus (eds.), Op. Cit, Chapters 4 & 5.

Weeks 10 & 11– Terrorism and Islamic Fundamentalism in Africa  

·         Crayton John (1995), Terrorism and the Psychology of Self, Hindustan, Publishing Corporation, Delhi, India.

·         Harker Frederick (1995), Dialectic Interrelationship of Political Factors in Terrorism, Hindustan Publishing Corporation, Delhi, India.

·         Rogers, P. (2008), “Terrorism”, in Williams P.W. (ed.), Security Studies: An Introduction, Oxon: Routledge, pp.171-184.

·         Barash, D.P. and Webel, C.P. (eds.) (2009), Peace and Conflict Studies, 2^nd edition, Thousand Oaks, California, Sage Publications (Chapter 3 “Terrorism versus Counter Terrorism: A War without End, pp.43-66.

Weeks 12 & 13 – Migration, Human Trafficking and Arms Proliferation

·         Kegley Charles Jnr. And Wittkopt Eugene (eds.) (1995), The Global Agenda: Issues and Perspectives, 4^th edition, McGraw Hill Inc, New York.

·         Meissner Doris, (1995), “Managing Migration”, in Kegley Charles Jnr. and Wittkopt, Eugene (eds.), The Global Agenda: Issues and Perspectives, Ibid., pp.381-391.

·         Wezeman Siemon (1999), “Arms and Conflicts in Africa: Myths and Realities of Proliferation and Disarmament”, in Lennart Wohlgemuth, et. al. (ed.) Common Security and Civil Society in Africa, Nordiska African Institute.