73289 - International Relations and Development in Africa

Course contents

This course is divided into two sections

 

Section A)

This part addresses a number of phases and key issues of the contemporary history of sub-Saharan Africa since the independences in the 1960s in relation to the global context of international relations and to the development policies implemented in sub-Saharan Africa within this context.

 

Section B)

Students will be asked to discuss one of the following themes:

I) The 'Global Cold War' in sub-Saharan Africa

II) Democratisation processes in the Washington and post-Washington Consensus

III) Africa, globalisation and belonging

Readings/Bibliography

Readings for students attending classes:

 

* On section (A), all students should prepare:

- A. Pallotti & M. Zamponi, L'Africa sub-sahariana nella politica internazionale, Le Monnier - Mondadori, Firenze, 2010

 

* all students should also prepare 4 essays, articles or chapters of their choice among those proposed for one of the themes of section (B):

Theme (I):

- M. Zamponi (ed.), "Fronti della guerra fredda in Africa sub-sahariana", dossier della rivista "afriche e orienti", n. 3-4/2013: chapters by: Calchi Novati, Zaccaria, Ercolessi, Zamponi, Tornimbeni, Pallotti

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

Theme (II):

- A. Pallotti, Alla ricerca della democrazia. L'Africa sub-sahariana tra autoritarismo e sviluppo, Rubettino, Soveria Mannelli, 2013: Chapters: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Conclusioni

- R. Abrahamsen, Disciplining Democracy. Development Discourse and Good Governance in Africa, Zed Books, London and New York, 2000

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

Theme (III):

- 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 by Tornimbeni, Pallotti, Zamponi, Pellizzoli, Lico

- P. Geschiere, The perils of belonging: Autochthony, citizenship, and exclusion in Africa and Europe. University of Chicago Press, 2009.

- P. Geschiere and S. Jackson, "Autochthony and the crisis of citizenship: democratization, decentralization, and the politics of belonging", in "African studies review", vol. 49, n. 2,  2006

- F. Cooper, "What is the concept of globalization good for? An African historian's perspective", in "African affairs", vol. 100, n. 399, 2001, pp. 189-213.

- J. Ferguson, Global shadows: Africa in the neoliberal world order. Duke University Press, 2006: chapters 1, 4, 6, 7, 8

 

 

Readings for students not attending classes:

 

- A. Pallotti and M. Zamponi, L'Africa sub-sahariana nella politica internazionale, Le Monnier - Mondadori, Firenze, 2010

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

- M. Zamponi (a cura di), "Fronti della guerra fredda in Africa sub-sahariana", dossier della rivista "afriche e orienti", n. 3-4/2013: 2 chapters among those by: Zaccaria, Ercolessi, Zamponi, Tornimbeni, Pallotti

- 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: Chapter 1.

 

 

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