1. Politics and Society in Africa
Overview
So how does the African political system work? Who are some of the main actors? And where is the place of ordinary citizens in politics? Politics and Society in Africa takes on these and other key questions. The course is designed to introduce students to African politics. It deals with classic and contemporary issues concerning the political economy of Africa—the state, institutions, democracy etc.Students will be guided through the these basing on classical and current literature. Students who take this course are encouraged to think beyond the box when approaching the different topics offered under this course and to engage in complusary and optional activities to stimulate logical learning. Group discussion is highly recommeded to expand logical reasoning.
Objectives and learning outcomes
By the end of the course, you will have acquired a general knowledge about the political economy of Africa, the different structures/ systems of governance and the role of the international community. Upon completion you will also acquire the ability to unpack and understand a variety of potential consequences of political philosophies and political reforms in the continent.
Teaching methods : lectures and Siminars
Duration: two hours per week
Target Group: This course is well suited for master students and bachelor in their third semester on wards.
Course outline
Week 1: Introduction: an overview of the current discourse on politics in Africa, structure, state of democracy and role of internal and external forces.
Week 2: The State and Local Governance: students learn about different state agencies and structures of local governments such as district and sub-district levels and the processes associated with these bodies. This level of the administration is highly significant as it provides a platform to the people to have a direct interface with the various organs of the state.
Week 3 & 4: Decentralisation with case studies from Uganda and Ghana: We learn about the core ideas of the conept including the various legal, political, and social foundations as well as the critical Issues therein. Week 4 will draw on practicle examples from the two countries.
Week 5 & 6: Federalism with case studies from Nigeria, South Africa and Ethiopia.
Week 7: Understanding the Rules of the Game: formal and informal Institutions: This module will discuss some of the key challenges of Africa’s contemporary liberal democratcies and explores a range of institutional solutions. We look at the tradeoffs associated with these options and how they play themselves out in various African settings.
Week 8: Democracy in Africa: liberalism and neo-liberalism experience. Picking up from week seven, this topic module examines the state of (neo) liberal democracy in Africa and the outcomes.
Week 9 & 10: The place of International Actors in African politics. An introduction into the role of foreign actors in politics in Africa. We shall have an introduction to the politics of development cooperation and policy making.
Week 11: Civil Society and Civic Engagement: Civil Society Organisations play an active role in shaping public policy. This module focuses on theoretical underpinnings of citizen engagement and how civil society organisations can shape local politics for the good of society. We examine the crucial role of socio-political context and the enabling environment.
Week 12: Beyond Constitutionalism: power dynamics in the political arena. Here we analyse the rule of law against practical operations. Using examples from selected countries the module provides elaborate description of institutional provisions and the dynamics of implementation. Informed by actor-centred institutional theory we look at the role of actors vs institutions in the milo
Week 13: Conclusion: reflecting on the course/ discuss projects
Course policies and evaluation method: Coursework is an integral part of this course. In order to get the credit points, everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework and write a term paper. Assignments are graded and are marked either pass or fail. Completion consists of submitting both course assignments and actively participating in the course forums. Students are encouraged to form learning forums to enhance their understanding of the course contents.
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