Course Catalog

This course is designed to provide an introduction to the study of contemporary African politics and government. It considers the various approaches used to examine the history of political development on the African continent and it explores the processes and institutions of the African states. The course attempts to answer some important questions about African politics, such as: What are the legacies of colonial rule? Why are African states generally weaker than non-African states? Why do some African countries suffer political violence more frequently than other countries within Africa or elsewhere? Why has democracy been consolidated in certain African countries but regressed or collapsed in others? What accounts for the failures and successes of African countries to achieve adequate economic development? As we explore these questions, we strive for a critical and comparative perspective while avoiding extreme positions of Afro-pessimism and Afro-optimism.