Postgraduate Course: Roots of African Poverty and Development (Distance Learning) (PGSP11320)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting 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 | A vast proportion of the world's poorest people live in Africa; yet, it is a continent which has seen massive inflows of international development assistance in its various forms. This course explores how Africa became a 'development problem' and the various strategies employed over the decades since colonial times to bring about social, political and economic transformation in Africa. It considers the theories underpinning specific development strategies and initiatives, the social and political contexts in which they were undertaken, and the reasons for success and failure. The course will focus on specific examples of development initiatives in Africa, considering the interaction amongst the range of actors involved (states, elites, peasants, civil society, multinational corporations, multilateral institutions, donors, NGOs, etc.). As the second core course for the MSc programme in African and International Development, this course will complement Politics and Theories of Development, providing Africa-specific examples. It will also act as a stand-alone option for other MSc programmes. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Learn enabled: No |
Quota: None |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
200 )
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| Additional Notes |
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Please contact the School directly for a breakdown of Assessment Methods
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| No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
| At the end of the course students will have gained familiarity with the major historical factors affecting development in Africa. They will gain an understanding of how major development theories have been applied in practice in African countries. The course will enable students to critically examine the social, political and economic factors affecting development strategies. |
Assessment Information
| Assessment will be based on two pieces of work: 1) Input to blogs/fora (30%); 2) Final synthetic written work (policy essay, 3000 words) (70%) (June). |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
1. Introduction:
- why is Africa the poorest continent on the planet?
- Contextualising the way in which development and underdevelopment are defined, and their application in Africa.
2. Development and underdevelopment during the colonial period
3. Africa's post-independence development strategies
4. Green revolution? Agricultural transformation and rural development
5. Uneven development: inequality, poverty and development strategies in Africa's wealthier states
6. Environment, climate change and sustainable development
7. Development in post-conflict and fragile states
8. African Development for Africa: Regional development organisations and strategies
9. Development from Below: participatory development in the 1990s and 2000s
10. Africa's 'developmental' states:
- The changing face of development in Africa
- Challenging 'development' in Africa
- Has development underdeveloped Africa? |
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Adesina, J.O., Yao Graham and A. Olukoshi (2006) Africa & Development. Challenges in the New Millennium
Ake, C. (1996) Democracy and Development in Africa
Ferguson, James (1990) The Anti-Politics Machine
Kothari, Uma (2005) A Radical History of Development Studies: Individuals, Institutions and Ideologies
Lockwood, Matthew (2005) The State They're In. An Agenda for International Action on Poverty in Africa
Nugent, Paul (2004) Africa since Independence
Nyang'oro, J.E. and T. Shaw (1995) Beyond Economic Liberalisation in Africa: Structural Adjustment and the Alternatives
Olukoshi, A.O. and L. Wohlgemuth (1995) A Road to Development: Africa in the 21st Century
Rodney, Walter (1972) How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
Collier, Paul (2007) The Bottom Billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it |
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
This course will be entirely taught as a distance option (no face-to-face lectures) using a range of innovative and interactive teaching methods. Students will have virtual lectures delivered by a team of lecturers; they will be requested to share their perspectives related to the weekly lecture and readings on message boards and wikis; they will 'virtually' meet with their tutor and colleagues during the synchronised online tutorial; and they will be able to take advantage of Edinburgh University facilities for e-learning students, such as, for example, downloading documentaries, testing their knowledge with online quizzes and developing their own blog. |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Samuel Spiegel
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Lindsay Hunter
Tel: (0131 6)51 1659
Email: |
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