African Politics

Catalog description

This course introduces students to the politics of African countries generally, with primary but not exclusive attention to particular countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The course addresses the cultural, economic, political, and historic contexts of various African countries, particularly as it relates to political change and institutional instability. The course links broad patterns of colonial rule, post-colonial governance, domestic and international economic policy, and domestic political structures to consequent patterns of political development and breakdown. These broad patterns are then more fully developed in individual case study evaluations. No prior knowledge of Africa is necessary to take this course.