Postgraduate Course: Dynamics of African Development (PGSP11581)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Africa is a continent undergoing socioeconomic change at an unprecedented speed. It contains the world's fastest growing economies and populations yet rates of poverty remain high and new forms of exclusion and inclusion influence political and social dynamics. Africa as people, place and idea has shaped our modern world in fundamental ways. Drawing on academic literature and empirical research this course explores how various strategies employed over the decades since colonial times to bring about social, political and economic transformation in Africa have framed and defined Africa. It discusses key issues in African development issues including the role of the state, economic change, land, conflict, the informal economy and democracy. The course aims at providing a platform to discuss poverty, development and the challenges of realising justice in contemporary Africa. |
| Course description |
While exploring scholarly texts, videos and representations in popular culture, students in this course will gain familiarity with academic and policy debates about poverty and development in Sub-Saharan Africa and deepen understanding of theories on the nexus between poverty, wealth and political change in Africa. Students will enhance their ability to contextualise these theories against the historical background and debates about contemporary Africa and its place in the world.
Topics
1. Introducing the study of contemporary Africa
2. African economies in historical context
3. The State and post-colonial transitions
4. Poverty and wealth in contemporary Africa
5. The consolidation of democracy?
6. Religion in the public sphere
7. Struggles over land
8. Health
9. Conflict and civil war
10. Poverty and entrepreneurship in the context of the informal economy
Student learning Experience
This course is taught entirely on-line in a virtual learning platform called Learn. The course is delivered through short lecture clips, podcasts and pre-recorded lectures. There are weekly readings and students engage with the material through on-line asynchronous discussion boards as well e-tivities across the semester. These include writing a blog, a policy brief, creating a mind map and an academic poster as well as writing a group wiki. On-line tools are provided with instructions to complete these tasks. Teaching also occurs through two live on-line seminars that are delivered through Blackboard collaborate and are recorded for students who are not able to attend in person. The course organizer and course tutor guide discussions and provide feedback throughout the semester.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | Students MUST NOT also be taking
Roots of African Poverty and Development (Distance Learning) (PGSP11320)
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Other requirements | This course replaces PGSP11320 Roots of African Poverty and Development. Students who have studied Roots of African Poverty and Development are not eligible to take this course.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2021/22, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
| Course Start Date |
20/09/2021 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
70% of the course assessment will be based on a final essay (3000 words).
20% of the course assessment will be based on the submission of two e-tivites chosen across the different e-exercises that students will do during the course. These may be blog posts, posters, policy briefings, case study reports, etc.
10% based on participation in weekly discussion forum. |
| Feedback |
Students receive feedback on an essay plan within 10 days of submission. Students are required to reflect upon their feedback in order to improve their final coursework.
There may be some overlap in the issues that you focus on in the various courses, so you should pay careful attention to the topics you select. It is important that you do not duplicate your work. Students will have the opportunity to select a pre-written essay question or come up with their own essay topics in some cases; essays on self-selected topics need to be previously agreed with the Programme Director. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate familiarity with the major historical factors affecting development in Africa
- Critically understand how major development theories have been applied in practice in African countries
- Critically examine the social, political and economic factors affecting development strategies in African countries
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Reading List
Adesina, J.O., Yao Graham and A. Olukoshi (2006) Africa & Development. Challenges in the New Millennium
Ake, C. (1996) Democracy and Development in Africa
Ferguson, James (1990) The Anti-Politics Machine
Kothari, Uma (2005) A Radical History of Development Studies: Individuals, Institutions and Ideologies
Lockwood, Matthew (2005) The State They're In. An Agenda for International Action on Poverty in Africa
Nugent, Paul (2004) Africa since Independence
Nyang'oro, J.E. and T. Shaw (1995) Beyond Economic Liberalisation in Africa: Structural Adjustment and the Alternatives
Binns T., Kenneth L. & Etienne Nel, 2018 The Routledge Handbook of African Development
Agupusi, P. & Okereke, C. 2015 Homegrown Development in Africa: Reality Or Illusion? Routledge
Agnes Andersson Djurfeldt, Fred Mawunyo Dzanku, and Aida Cuthbert Isinika (eds) 2018 Agriculture, Diversification, and Gender in Rural Africa. Longitudinal Perspectives from Six Countries
Rodney, Walter (1972) How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
Collier, Paul (2007) The Bottom Billion: Why the poorest countries are failing and what can be done about it |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Barbara Bompani
Tel: (0131 6)51 3891
Email: b.bompani@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Maria Brichs
Tel: (0131 6)51 3205
Email: mbrichs@ed.ac.uk |
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