The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with politics and political power in Africa, from the post-colonial era to the current one where the war against terror seems to dominate the headlines. This main issues we’ll study include: nation and state-building; elections and political participation; decentralization.

Some of the questions we will try to answer relate to the nature of the African state: its ability to supply the resources and public goods necessary to hold nations and states together. We’ll study political accountability and state fragility; elections and political violence; the rule of law and the development of countervailing institutions.

Requirements for this course include: Two group presentations on a topic students will select from a list of topics. Class participation is very important.

I – WHY STUDY AFRICAN POLITICS? (01/19)

II – ETHNICITY, NATION-BUILDING, STATE BUILDING (01/26)

III – ELECTIONS, PARTIES AND POLITICAL COMPETITION (02/02)

IV – DECENTRALIZATION – (02/09) 

V – FRANCE AND AFRICA || FRANCE IN AFRICA (02/23)

VI – THE NEW SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA (03/02)

VII – VIII – IX – PRESENTATIONS (03/09 – 03/23)