74659 - Europe and Africa: Cooperation and Security

Academic Year 2019/2020

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course students will know the main policies and institutions of the EU-partnership in the fields of security and development cooperation, within the framework of the international debate on these topics. In particular, students will be able to: analyze the contemporary literature concerning the political and military relations between the EU and Africa; discuss and contextualize the main global and regional processes of transformation defining the relations between the EU and Africa, - understand the historical evolution of the UE-Africa security and development cooperation ; organize and retrieve bibliographic and documentary sources using libraries and web materials.

Course contents

The first part of the course will analyze the historical framework of African-European relations since the late 19th century. Emphasis will be put on patterns of colonial domination and the decolonization process. Relations between African and European countries during the Cold War will be also examined, and a specific attention will be devoted to the evolution of Africa-France relations and the role of the Western countries in decolonization of Southern Africa and the fight against apartheid South Africa. The second part of the course will examine the aims, instruments and outcomes of the development cooperation between the African governments and the European Union since the early 1960s. The third part of the course will analyze relations between Africa and Europe in the post-Cold War era. In particular, European policies aimed at the promotion of democracy and human rights, the prevention and resolution of violent conflicts and the promotion of economic development and poverty reduction in Africa will be scrutinized. The fourth part of the course will be devoted to the study of the "new scramble" for African natural resources and its multiple political and economic effects.

Readings/Bibliography

Compulsory reading for students attending classes:

E. Schmidt, Foreign Intervention in Africa.From the Cold War to the War on Terror, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013.

A. Adebajo, K. Whiteman (eds), The EU and Africa. From Euroafrique to Afro-Europa, London, Hurst & C., 2012.

H. Solomon, Terrorism and Counter-terrorism in Africa, Basingstoke, Palgrave. 2015.

 

Reading for students not attending classes

A. Adebajo, K. Whiteman (eds), The EU and Africa. From Euroafrique to Afro-Europa, London, Hurst & C., 2012.

A. Adebajo, The Curse of Berlin. Africa after the Cold War, London, Hurst & C., 2010.

E. Schmidt, Foreign Intervention in Africa.From the Cold War to the War on Terror, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2013.

T. Chafer, The end of the Empire in French West Africa: France's successful decolonization?, Oxford, Berg, 2002.

H. Solomon, Terrorism and Counter-terrorism in Africa, Basingstoke, Palgrave. 2015.

Teaching methods

Lectures.

Assessment methods

Final oral exam.

Teaching tools

Power-point presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Arrigo Pallotti

SDGs

No poverty Reduced inequalities Peace, justice and strong institutions

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