85494 - Citizenship and Development in Africa

Academic Year 2018/2019

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Ravenna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in International Cooperation on Human Rights and Intercultural Heritage (cod. 9237)

Learning outcomes

This course unit aims at forming the student skills in analysing the relationship between social and political belonging, the formation of the nation-state and current and past development challenges in sub-Saharan Africa. In particular, this course unit will examine the historical trajectory from the modernization paradigm linked to the development of the nation-state after independencies (1960s) to the good governance reforms and democratization processes of the post-cold war context. In this regard, the course unit will point to the different visions about citizenship developed over the years, and to their relationships with local, national and transnational forms of belonging in sub-Saharan Africa.

Course contents

COURSE OUTLINE

 

* Class 1.

Topic: “Historical and methodological introduction to the course content”

Suggested reading:

- F. Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press 2002, Chapter 1

 

* Class 2.

Topic: “State- and Nation-building between colonial rule and independence”

Compulsory readings:

- F. Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press 2002, Chapters 3 and 4;

- M. Mamdani, Citizen and Subject. Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism, Princeton University Press 1996, Chapter II

 

* Class 3.

Topic: “The citizenship question from the ‘modernization’ paradigm to the ‘good governance and democracy’ era” (Part I).

Compulsory readings:

- F. Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press 2002, "Interlude" and Chapter 5.

 

* Class 4.

Topic: “The citizenship question from the ‘modernization’ paradigm to the ‘good governance and democracy’ era” (Part II).

Compulsory readings:

- S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent, ‘Introduction: Citizenship and its Casualties in Africa’ in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007.

- 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, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

 

* Class 5.

Topic: “Case-studies: Ivory Coast and Democratic Republic of Congo ”

Compulsory reading:

- R. Marshall-Fratani, ‘The War of "Who Is Who": Autochthony, Nationalism and Citizenship in the Ivorian Crisis", in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

or

- G. Nzongola-Ntalaja, ‘The Politics of Citizenship in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

 

* Class 6.

Topic: “Case-study: South Africa”

Compulsory reading:

- D. James, ‘Property and Citizenship in South African Land Reform’, in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

or

- A. Segatti, ‘Reforming South African Immigration Policy in the Postapartheid Period (1990–2010)’, in A. Segatti and L. B. Landau (eds.), Contemporary Migration to South Africa. A Regional Development Issue, The World Bank, Washington 2011 (on-line)

 

* Class 7.

Compulsory reading:

Topic: “Case-studies: Zimbabwe and Mozambique”

Compulsory reading:

- M. Zamponi, ‘Land, State and National Citizenship in Zimbabwe’, in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

or

- C. Tornimbeni, ‘Negotiating the State through Inclusion in the Community. Elite Formation in Decentralised Resource Management in Chimanimani, Mozambique’, in Afriche e Orienti, Special Issue II, 2008

 

* Class 8.

Topic: “Case-studies: Kenya and Ethiopia”

Compulsory reading:

- S. Balaton-Crimes, ‘The Nubians of Kenya. Citizenship in the Gaps of Margins’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.

or

- S. Gofie, ‘The State and “the Peoples”. Citizenship and the Future of Political Community in Ethiopia’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.

 

* Class 9.

Topic: “Case-studies: Tanzania and Uganda”

Compulsory reading:

- A Pallotti, ‘The Poverty of Democracy: From Socialism to Neo-Liberal Citizenship in Tanzania’, in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

or

- A. Sjögren, ‘Oil, Territorial Control and Political Belonging in Uganda", in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

 

* Class 10.

Topic: “Debating citizenship, belonging and development in sub-Saharan Africa”

Compulsory reading:

- J. Lonsdale, ‘Unhelpful Pasts and a Provisional Present’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.


Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory readings for the final exam for students ATTENDING classes

* GENERAL READINGS:

- F. Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press 2002, Chapters 3, 4, "Interlude", 5.

- M. Mamdani, Citizen and Subject. Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism, Princeton University Press 1996, Chapter II

- 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, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

- S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent, ‘Introduction: Citizenship and its Casualties in Africa’ in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007.

- J. Lonsdale, ‘Unhelpful Pasts and a Provisional Present’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.

* TWO READINGS TO BE CHOSEN among the following case-studies:

- R. Marshall-Fratani, ‘The War of "Who Is Who": Autochthony, Nationalism and Citizenship in the Ivorian Crisis", in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

- G. Nzongola-Ntalaja, ‘The Politics of Citizenship in the Democratic Republic of Congo’, in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

- M. Zamponi, ‘Land, State and National Citizenship in Zimbabwe’, in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

- D. James, ‘Property and Citizenship in South African Land Reform’, in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

- A. Segatti, ‘Reforming South African Immigration Policy in the Postapartheid Period (1990–2010)’, in A. Segatti and L. B. Landau (eds.), Contemporary Migration to South Africa. A Regional Development Issue, The World Bank, Washington 2011 (on-line)

- S. Balaton-Crimes, ‘The Nubians of Kenya. Citizenship in the Gaps of Margins’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.

- S. Gofie, ‘The State and “the Peoples”. Citizenship and the Future of Political Community in Ethiopia’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.

- A Pallotti, ‘The Poverty of Democracy: From Socialism to Neo-Liberal Citizenship in Tanzania’, in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

- A. Sjögren, ‘Oil, Territorial Control and Political Belonging in Uganda", in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

- C. Tornimbeni, ‘Negotiating the State through Inclusion in the Community. Elite Formation in Decentralised Resource Management in Chimanimani, Mozambique’, in Afriche e Orienti, Special Issue II, 2008

 

Mandatory readings for the final exam for students NON-ATTENDING classes

- F. Cooper, Africa Since 1940. The Past of the Present, Cambridge University Press 2002, Chapters 3, 4, "Interlude", 5.

- M. Mamdani, Citizen and Subject. Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism, Princeton University Press 1996, Chapter II

- 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, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

- A Pallotti, ‘The Poverty of Democracy: From Socialism to Neo-Liberal Citizenship in Tanzania’, in C. Tornimbeni (ed.), Working the System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Global Values, National Citizenship and Local Politics in Historical Perspective, Cambridge Scholars Publishing 2013.

- S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent, ‘Introduction: Citizenship and its Casualties in Africa’ in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007.

- R. Marshall-Fratani, ‘The War of "Who Is Who": Autochthony, Nationalism and Citizenship in the Ivorian Crisis", in S. Dorman, D. Hammett and P. Nugent (eds.), Making Nations, Creating Strangers. States and Citizenship in Africa, Brill 2007

- J. Lonsdale, ‘Unhelpful Pasts and a Provisional Present’, in E. Hunter (eds.), Citizenship, Belonging, and Political Community in Africa: Dialogues between Past and Present, Ohio University Press 2016.

Teaching methods

The topic of each class will be first presented by the professor, and then will be debated with the students on the basis of the readings that students are requested to analyze in advance (see “Course Content”). Students are supposed to formulate their own vision and understanding of the topic of each class, and will be asked to justify their own argument in view of the discussion organized during the class.

Assessment methods

Given the importance of class attendance for an appropriate training process two distinct grading scales are employed: for attending and non-attending students.

 

Attending students

 

* Attendance and participation count for 30% of the final grade.

In particular, it will be assessed the ability of the student to participate actively in class; such capacity, if combined with the achievement of a coherent framework of the topics developed during the lessons, the application of critical sense and suitable means of expression will be considered and evaluated with the maximum grading = A (27-30 con lode).

Attendance, if joint to a predominantly mnemonic acquisition of course's contents and discontinuous language and logical skills will be assessed in a grading range from good B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21-23).

Attendance, with a minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with training gaps or inadequate language and logical skills, it will get as grade ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20).

The absence of a minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with inadequate language and logical skills and training gaps, it will produce a fail (E) grading, even in spite of an assiduous attendance.

 

* The final exam count for 70% of the final grade.

The final exam consists of an oral examination on the entire syllabus and, specifically, on the readings indicated in the “Readings/Bibliography” section of the course program. The aim of the interview is to assess the methodological and critical skills acquired by the student. In particular, it will assess the students' ability to use literature and to reason on the debates developed during classes in order to properly expose the contents of the course. Grading will follow the rationale outlined above for attendance and participation (A, B, C, D, E).

 

 

Non-attending students

 

Non-attending students will be assessed primarily on the ability to use literature in order to properly expose the contents of the course. This ability, when combined with the achievement of a coherent framework of the course's themes, the application of critical sense, and suitable means of expression will be considered and evaluated with the maximum grading = A(27-30 con lode).

A predominantly mnemonic acquisition of course's contents along with discontinuous language and logical skills will be assessed in a grading range from good (B = 24-26) to satisfactory (C = 21- 23).

A minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with training gaps or inadequate language and logical skills, it will get as grade ‘barely passing' (D = 18-20).

The absence of a minimum level of knowledge of the course contents, combined with inadequate language and logical skills and training gaps, it will produce a fail (E) grading.

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

SDGs

No poverty

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.