Politics 114: Introduction to African Politics

This course introduces students to a variety of scholarly works and arguments about the meaning and nature of African politics. We will not simply learn about how African politics and society are shaped by historical, economic, and legal conditions, but also how to critically evaluate a range of academic theories designed to explain political conditions in contemporary African politics. For these primary reasons, we will look at a variety of political challenges facing African state and how resolutions to these challenges may require a shift in the ways we evaluate the success of politics in general. Additionally, we will dedicate part of the course to looking closely at the nature of political authority, factors that shape political identities, transitions to democracy, various political ideologies, and pressing issues regarding economic development and poverty.