Postgraduate Course: Africa and International Politics (PGSP11151)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course invites students to critically engage with major issues around Africa in world politics. We will discuss key ideas that have shaped the perception of Africa in international politics, and critically evaluate the various theoretical lenses through which Africa's entanglement with the world has been studied. Starting from the assumption that world politics go well beyond relations between states, and also beyond formal institutions, we will examine a variety of issues ranging from African states' bilateral relations with the UK or China and transnational networks of struggle to governance by non-state actors. Beyond examining how Africa is affected by international politics, we will look at African agency and creativity in shaping world politics. |
| Course description |
Week 1: Introduction to Africa in world politics
Week 2: How to approach Africa in world politics?
Week 3: Sovereignty, the African state and world politics
Week 4: Africa and global (in)security I: Cold War
Week 5: Africa, the global economy and WP
Week 6: Inter-state and transnational conflict in Africa
Week 7: Africa and global (in)security II: post-1989 and post-9/11
Week 8: Intra-African Relations: Regionalism and the African Union
Week 9: Transnational networks of struggle in Africa
Week 10: BRICS in Africa: New directions - same questions?
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand Africa's integration into the world economy and political systems after 1945
- Situate African political processes in their international social, political and economic context and account for how the global and the local is interconnected in contemporary African politics.
- Critically examine the utility, strengths and weaknesses of major concepts and theories to understand Africa in international politics.
- Be able to use different methodological and theoretical lenses in order to examine empirical case, and to evaluate or generate theory through engagement with cases.
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Reading List
If you have not taken any previous courses in African Politics, please consult:
*Englebert, P. and Dunn, K.C. (2013) Inside African Politics, Lynne Rienner [HUB]
Williams, G. (2002) Africa in Retrospect or Prospect, Africa South of the Sahara, London: Routledge [e-reserve]
Allen, C. (1995) 'Understanding African Politics' Review of African Political Economy [e-reserve]
Thomson, A. (2000, 2004, 3rd ed. 2010) Introduction to African Politics, London: Routledge
If you have not taken any previous courses in International Relations, please consult:
*McGowan, P.J., S. Cornelisson & P. Nel eds. (3rd ed. 2006) Power, wealth and global equity: an international relations textbook for Africa, Captetown: Cape Town University Press [HUB RESERVE]
Edkins, J. and Zehfuss, M. (2009) Global Politics: A New Introduction, London: Routledge.
Dunne, T.,Kurki, M. and Smith, S. (2007) International Relations Theories : Discipline and Diversity, Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press [HUB RESERVE].
Recommended texts and introductory books on Africa in global politics:
**Clapham, C. (1996) Africa and the International System, Cambride: Cambridge University Press.
**Callaghy, T.M.,Kassimir, R. and Latham, R. (2001) Intervention and Transnationalism in Africa. Global-Local Networks of Power, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press [E-BOOK].
**Dunn, K.C. and Shaw, T.M. eds. (2001, 2nd edition 2013) Africa¿s Challenge to International Relations Theory, Basingstoke, Hampshire [a.o.]: Palgrave [HUB].
*Cornelissen, S.,Cheru, F. and Shaw, T.M. (2012) Africa and International Relations in the 21st Century, Houndsmill, Basingstoke, Hampshire [UK] ; New York: Palgrave Macmillan [E-BOOK).
*Harbeson, J. and Rothchild, J. eds. (2003 or 2013 editions) Africa in World Politics, Boulder: Westview Press [HUB RESERVE].
Ellis, S. (2011) Season of Rains. Africa in the World, London: Hurst.
On inter-national relations of African states with the North and BRICS countries, see:
Engel, U. and Olsen, R. (2005) Africa and the North. Between Gobalization and Marginalization, London: Routledge [RESERVE].
Taylor, I. and Williams, P. eds. (2004) Africa in International Politics, London: Routledge [RESERVE.
Taylor, I. (2010) The International Relations of Sub-Saharan Africa, London: Continuum [RESERVE]
Twitter account:
@afr_pol If you are on twitter, please follow this account. If not, please remember to check the twitter feed via the link on Learn.
Further reading material is provided in the course handbook uploaded on Learn. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Wolfgang Zeller
Tel: (0131 6)51 3134
Email: |
Course secretary | Miss Morag Wilson
Tel: (0131 6)51 5122
Email: |
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