73289 - International Relations and Development in Africa

Academic Year 2017/2018

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Local and Global Development (cod. 9200)

    Also valid for Second cycle degree programme (LM) in International Relations (cod. 8782)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired, in a critical manner and with reference to international academic research literature, a good knowledge of the political history of contemporary Africa in its international dimension. In particular, the student will be able to: A) analyze and discuss the main elements of the political development and transformations of the political systems of contemporary African considering the internal, regional and international context; B) analyze and discuss the main factors defining the role and location of Africa in contemporary global politics and international relations; C) analyze and evaluate empirically the development strategies and governance reforms, also in relation to the role of the international policies of the major donors; D) find and arrange documentary and bibliographic sources using libraries, databases and websites, and organize, both verbally and by written essays, the knowledge acquired during the course.

Course contents

After a brief overview of some background knowledge on the history of sub-Saharan Africa, which is intended for a better understanding of the themes developed during the course, the latter will be divided into two parts:

Section (A) addresses a number of phases and key issues of the contemporary history of sub-Saharan Africa from the second world war and the decolonization process to the beginning of the 1990s. The main themes of section (A) will be analyzed in relation to the global context of international relations and to the development policies implemented in those decades. The main focus will be represented by the continental and international framework of the cold war 'fronts' in Africa, especially in the Horn of Africa and in Southern Africa.

Section (B) addresses the post-cold war context in sub-Saharan Africa through an analysis of the internationally shared paradigms about politics and development that form the so-called post-Washington consensus, such as good governance, democracy and poverty reduction. Eventually, the students attending classes will contribute to elaborate on the challenges of the democratization processes in sub-Saharan Africa.

Readings/Bibliography

For a better understanding of the themes developed in this course and of the readings to study for the final exam, it is suggested to read: A.M. Gentili, Il Leone e il cacciatore. Storia dell'Africa sub-sahariana, Nuova edizione, Carocci, Roma , 2008.

 

Compulsory readings for students attending classes:

* A.M. Gentili, Il Leone e il cacciatore. Storia dell'Africa sub-sahariana, Nuova edizione, Carocci, Roma , 2008: pp. 315-364

* A. Pallotti e M. Zamponi, L'Africa sub-sahariana nella politica internazionale, Le Monnier - Mondadori, Firenze, 2010, chapters 1, 2, 3 (only pp. 58-62), 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18

* A. Pallotti, Alla ricerca della democrazia. L'Africa sub-sahariana tra autoritarismo e sviluppo, Rubettino, Soveria Mannelli, 2013: chapters 6 and 7

* C. Tornimbeni, "Transmitting and Negotiating Paradigms on Citizenship, State and Development in sub-Saharan Africa: Introducing a Discussion on historical Perspectives and Contemporary Dynamics", in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013

* 1 article or book chapter to be chosen among the following texts:

- A.R. Mustapha and L. Whitfield (eds.), Turning Points in African Democracy, Boydell & Brewer, 2010 (chapters 2-11)

- P. Geschiere, "L'autoctonia e le contese sulla cittadinanza. Nuovi sviluppi nelle politiche dell'appartenenza nell'Africa del dopo guerra fredda", in afriche e orienti, n. 3-4/2011

- C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013 (chapters 3 and 4).

- journal afriche e orienti, anno XIV, n. 1-2/2012 (the articles by Zaccaria, Guazzini, Mosca, Pallotti, Zamponi, Tornimbeni, Cricco)

- A. Pallotti, Alla ricerca della democrazia. L'Africa sub-sahariana tra autoritarismo e sviluppo, Rubettino, Soveria Mannelli, 2013 (chapters 8, 9, 10)

 

Compulsory Readings for students non-attending classes:

* A.M. Gentili, Il Leone e il cacciatore. Storia dell'Africa sub-sahariana, Nuova edizione, Carocci, Roma , 2008: pp. 315-364

* A. Pallotti e M. Zamponi, L'Africa sub-sahariana nella politica internazionale, Le Monnier - Mondadori, Firenze, 2010, chapters 1, 2, 3 (only pp. 58-62), 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18

* A. Pallotti, Alla ricerca della democrazia. L'Africa sub-sahariana tra autoritarismo e sviluppo, Rubettino, Soveria Mannelli, 2013: chapters 6, 7, 8, 9

* C. Tornimbeni, "Transmitting and Negotiating Paradigms on Citizenship, State and Development in sub-Saharan Africa: Introducing a Discussion on historical Perspectives and Contemporary Dynamics", in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Newcastle upon Tyne, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2013

* P. Geschiere, "L'autoctonia e le contese sulla cittadinanza. Nuovi sviluppi nelle politiche dell'appartenenza nell'Africa del dopo guerra fredda", in afriche e orienti, n. 3-4/2011

Teaching methods

Lessons and weekly discussions on the issues presented during classes. Presentations by students and debate.

Assessment methods

The final exam will be an oral examination. Students will be asked to demonstrate:

- to have learnt an appropriate scientific method for the study of the themes of the course unit;

- to be able to use a critical analysis in addressing the texts provided and the discussions developed during classes (for those attending classes); attention will be given to the use of sources and to the awareness of the different scientific positions emerging from the programme;

- to have developed the capacity to discuss the themes of the course unit with independent thinking, appropriate language, ability to synthesize informations and through a consistent discourse;

The exam will cover all texts indicated in the reading list.

Teaching tools

At the beginning of the class the use of Internet for Sub-Saharan Africa studies will be illustrated. Specific web-sites and academic research tools will be indicated.

Historical maps will be uploaded in the "materials of the teaching activity"

Office hours

See the website of Corrado Tornimbeni