African Politics

Catalog description

The goal of this course is to introduce participants to the study of African politics from multiple methodological approaches and in a number of African contexts. The course begins with the historical roots of contemporary African politics, exploring how pre-colonial institutions and colonialism shaped African politics at independence. Next the course will survey the political and economic strategies of leaders post-independence and the factors shaping those strategies. The course includes an examination of the causes and consequences of poor governance, and evaluates the recent patterns of redemocratization on the continent. The course closes with a discussion of present-day challenges: electoral malfeasance, public health crises, the "new" populism, and China in Africa.