Thursday, 6 February
2014
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF GHANA
SECOND SEMESTER, 2014/2015
LECTURER: A. K. D. FREMPONG
|
COURSE TITLE
|
POLITICS OF IDENTITY IN GHANA
|
||||
|
COURSE CODE
|
POLI 458
|
||||
|
PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
|
Identity is a manifest feature of
every society because in terms of politics, religion, region, ethnicity,
gender, age, or socio-economic status, etc, society is pluralistic with
different interests pursued by various groups. Often, identity groups have
antedated the emergence of the modern state system and have endured in most
countries despite policies of assimilation and integration. The issue becomes
even more complicated by the fact that people have multiple identities and
occupy multiple social statuses. How then does a post-colonial state promote
national integration among its citizens within the context of competing
identities? What is the role of the state in the struggle among the identity
groups for the control of political power and national resources;
particularly in the context where the assumption of one group to power
alienates other groups?
This course analyses the
challenges of nation-state building in Ghana; forging a nation out of the
diverse group of people living within its borders. To what extent have
efforts to promote national identity been either promoted or hindered by
competing ethnic, regional and religious identities? What roles have partisan
politics, chieftaincy, women, and youth played in Ghanaian politics? Overall,
how have the interplay of such identities shaped political actions and
alignments in the varying phases of Ghanaian politics?
Upon
completion of this course students should be able to:
· Understand Identity and how it shapes national politics
· Appreciate the impact of regionalism and ethnicity on
politics in Ghana
· Understand the roles and dynamics of political
party and religion in politics in Ghana
· Critically discuss the prospects
and challenges of Youth participation in Ghanaian politics
· Analyze the role of the institution of chieftaincy In
Ghanaian politics
· Contribute meaningfully to discussions on
issues of Identity and Politics in Ghana
A theoretical analysis of the
concepts and forms of identity is followed by their application in Ghanaian
politics since independence, with particular emphasis on the Fourth Republic.
GRADING: Interim Assessment: Take-Home Assignment (30%).
End-of -Semester Examination: 50 compulsory Short-Answer Questions covering
the entire course (50%); three essays answer one (20%)
|
||||
|
WEEK NO
|
Date
|
Lecture Course
|
Tutorials
|
Venue
|
Assessment
|
|
1-3
|
2-20 Feb 2015
|
Understanding Politics of Identity
|
What is Identity and how does it
affect national politics?
|
Lecture: JQB 19
Tutorial: DLR
|
|
|
4-6
|
23 Feb-13 Mar 2015
|
Regionalism and Ethnicity in
Ghanaian Politics
|
Challenges of Regionalism and
Ethnicity in Ghana
|
Lecture: JQB 19
Tutorial: DLR
|
|
|
7-8
|
16-27 Mar- 2015
|
Party Politics in Ghana
|
Dynamics of Party
Politics in Ghana
|
Lecture: JQB 19
Tutorial: DLR
|
|
|
9-10
|
30 Mar- 10 Apr 2015
|
Women and Youth in Ghanaian
Politics
|
Examine prospects
and challenges
|
Lecture: JQB 19
Tutorial: DLR
|
|
|
11-12
|
13-24 April 2015
|
Chieftaincy and Politics in Ghana
|
Chieftaincy –State Relations
|
Lecture: JQB 19
Tutorial: DLR
|
|
|
13
|
27April- 8 May 2015
|
Religion and Politics in Ghana
|
Extent and Influence of religion
|
Lecture: JQB 19
Tutorial: DLR
|
|
Reading List
MAIN TEXT: E. Debrah
et al (2014) Ghana: Essays in the Study of Political Science, Accra: Sub-Saharan
Publishers:COMPULSORY AND AVAILABLE AT DEPARTMENTAL GENERAL OFFICE
Crawford Young (1976) The Politics Of Cultural
Pluralism, Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Naomi Chazan (1982) “Ethnicity and Politics in Ghana”, Political
Science Quarterly, Vol. 97, No. 3, Autumn, pp. 461-485.
A. K. D. Frempong (2001) “Ghana’s 2000 Elections: The Ethnic
Undercurrents”, in J. R. A. Ayee, ed. Deepening Democracy in Ghana:
Politics of the 2000 Elections”, Vol. 1, Accra: Freedom Publications,
pp. 141- 159.
Frempong (2006) “Ethnicity, Democracy and Ghana’s Election 2004”
in K. Boafo-Arthur ed. Voting for Democracy in Ghana: The 2004
Elections in Perspective,Thematic Studies, Accra: Freedom Publications, pp.
157-186
J. R. A. Ayee (nd) “Voting Patterns in the 2004
Elections”, Discussing Issues not Sensations http://ghanaelectionwatch.com/blog/index.php?itemid=5
E. Gyimah-Boadi (2003) “Ghana: The Political Economy of
‘Successful’ Ethno-regional Conflict Management” in Bastain, Sunil and Robin
Luckham , eds. Can Democracy be Designed? The Politics of Institutional
Choice in Conflict-torn Societies, London/New York: Zed Books,
pp.120-144.
H. Jockers, D. Kohnert and P. Nugent (2009) “The Successful
Ghana Election of 2008: A Convenient Myth? Ethnicity in Ghana’s Elections
Revisited”, Munich Personal RePEc Archive MPRA) Paper No.
16167.
Bob Kelly (2005) “The 2004 Elections in Northern Ghana”, Review
of African Political Economy, Vol. 32, No. 104/105, Jun-Sept, pp.
455-461.
John S. Pobee (1991) Religion and Politics in
Ghana, Accra: Asempa Publishers.
Jean Marie Allman (1991) “Hewers of Wood, Carriers of Water:
Islam, Class and Politics on the Eve of Ghana’s Independence”, African
Studies Review, Vol. 34, No.2, pp. 1-26.
K. Ansah-Koi (1998) “Walking the Tightrope: Chiefs, Chieftaincy
and the 1996 Elections in Ghana”, in J. R. A. Ayee, ed. The 1996
General Elections and Democratic Consolidation in Ghana, Accra:
Gold-Type Ltd, pp. 139-155.
Kwame Boafo-Arthur (2006) “Chieftaincy in Ghana: Challenges and
Prospects in the 21 Century” in Irene K. Odotei and Albert K. Awedoba,
eds. Chieftaincy in Ghana: Culture, Governance and Development, Accra:
Sub-Saharan Publishers, pp. 145-168
Samuel K. Gyapong (2006) “The Role of Chieftaincy in Ghana’s
Democratic Experiment” in Odotei and Awedoba, eds. Chieftaincy in
Ghana, pp. 183-191
E. Debrah (2007) “Fifty Years of Party Politics in Ghana: The
Balance Sheet” in J. R. A. Ayee (ed) Ghana at 50: Government, Politics
and Development, Accra: Friedrich Ebert Foundation, pp. 107-123.
A. K. D. Frempong (2007) “Political Conflict and Elite Consensus
in the Liberal State”, in Kwame Boafo-Arthur, ed. Ghana: One Decade of
the Liberal State,London/Dakar: Zed/CODESRIA Books, pp.128-164.
Beatrix Allah-Mensah (2005) Women in Politics and Public
Life in Ghana, Accra: Friedrich Elbert Foundation.
Beatrix Allah-Mensah (2007) “Women in Politics in Ghana,
1993-2003” in Kwame Boafo-Arthur, ed. Ghana: One Decade of the Liberal
State, London/Dakar: Zed/CODESRIA Books, pp.251-279
Mike Oquaye (1996) “Youth, Politics and Society in Ghana” in F.
K. Drah & Mike Oquaye, eds. Civil Society in Ghana, Accra:
FES, pp. 163-202.
Richard Asante (2006) “The Youth and Politics in Ghana:
Reflections on the 2004 General Elections” in K. Boafo-Arthur ed. Voting
for Democracy in Ghana: The 2004 Elections in Perspective, Thematic
Studies, Accra: Freedom Publications, pp. 211-236.
Ransford E. V. Gyampo (2008) The Youth
and Political Ideology in Ghanaian Politics, Inter-Faculty Lecture
delivered on 18 October 2007, University of Ghana, Legon.
