Postgraduate Course: Africa and International Politics (PGSP11151)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | This course examines contemporary African politics in national, regional, international and global contexts through several disciplinary perspectives, including political economy, sociology, and history. The course will examine the nature of Africa's integration into the world economy and political systems; the cold war and post-cold war periods; the changing relations within and between Africa's states and regions; and changing relations between Africa's States and external organizations. No prior knowledge of African politics or economics is assumed. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
12/01/2015 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
176 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- to understand the nature of Africa's integration into the world economy and political systems from independence to the present.
- to analyse and explain the changing relations within and among Africa's states, regions, non-state actors and non-African states.
- to situate African political processes in their international social, political and economic context. |
Assessment Information
| The course will be assessed by one 4000 word written assignment. |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Week 1: Introduction to Africa and its international relations
Week 2: Africa in the post-Cold War era/ Africa and terrorism
Week 3: Africa and the United States of America/ The new ¿Scramble for Africa¿
Week 4: France and Africa/ Is French policy towards Africa ¿neo-colonial¿?
Week 5: The United Kingdom and Africa/The aid debate
Week 6: The European Union and Africa/Agricultural subsidies and Africa
Week 7: The Emerging powers in Africa/The BRICS and Africa
Week 8: China and Africa/India and Africa
Week 9: Attempts at pan-African unity: Regionalisation/The East African Community
Week 10: Attempts at pan-African unity: the OAU and AU/The African Union |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
There is one text that you should buy as it provides the required reading for most of the topics covered:
Ian Taylor, The International Relations of Sub-Saharan Africa Continuum, 2010.
If you have not taken any previous courses in African Politics, please consult:
Gavin Williams, "Africa in Retrospect or Prospect," Africa South of the Sahara. (2002) Ref. DT351 Afr.
Chris Allen, "Understanding African Politics" Review of African Political Economy v. 22, no. 66 (1995): 301-320 [RESERVE] http://www.jstor.org/stable/4006214?seq=1
If you have not taken any previous courses in International Relations, please consult:
Patrick J. McGowan & Philip Nel, eds. Power, wealth and global equity: an international relations textbook for Africa (2002, 2006) [RESERVE]
Recommended texts (on reserve and available at WordPower and Blackwells)
Christopher Clapham Africa and the International System (1996)
John Harbeson and Donald Rothchild, Africa in World Politics: the African State System in Flux (2008)
Patrick J. McGowan & Philip Nel, eds. Power, wealth and global equity: an international relations textbook for Africa (2002, 2006)
Ian Taylor and Paul Williams, eds. Africa in International Politics (2004)
Naomi Chazan et al, Politics and Society in Contemporary Africa 3rd ed. (1999) Parts 3&4.
Alex Thomson An Introduction to African Politics (2000, 2004)
Further reading material is provided in the course handbook uploaded on Learn. |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
One weekly two-hour seminar. There will be a half-hour to hour-long lecture on the topic, followed by one or more student presentations and Q&A. Students will prepare short presentations (individually or in groups, depending on topic and/or class size) on case studies related to the topic for each week: specifically, students will choose an issue and a country (or countries) for further discussion. Topics and case studies will be decided in Week 1. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Jana Hoenke
Tel: (0131 6)50 9925
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Jessica Barton
Tel: (0131 6)51 1659
Email: |
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