TAFAPDC01U Politics, Development and Change in Africa

Volume 2013/2014
Content

This course is aimed at understanding both the specifics of, and the inter-connectedness between, the ideas, actors and empirical dynamics of politics, development and change in diverse African settings. We will explore what constitutes each of these domains – conceptually and through case examples – and consider different approaches to how we think about and study these distinct yet linked processes.   

Pedagogically, the course consists of three modules. The first is a classroom-based instruction module focusing on critical engagement with theoretical, methodological and empirical aspects of the course literature.  It will also include the preparation of selected country profiles in groups as the basis for formulating a development ‘project’ to be discussed in a workshop towards the end of the first module.  The second module consists of the preparation of an individually defined and written paper which in effect constitutes the first draft of the final exam essay. It will be possible to obtain individual supervision in connection with the preparation of the paper. The third module consists of an opponent phase in which the individual papers of the students are presented in small groups, and the students both provide and receive feedback from opponent partners and the lecturer. The course is examined through a final draft of the essay that has previously been developed and discussed during the opponent phase. 

Methodology Lab
In Week 15, several sessions from both Politics Development and Change, and from Religion, Culture and Society, will be dedicated to an intensive Methodology Lab. This is aimed at providing students with an introduction to research methodology in general, as well as in-depth insight into selected methodologies used in African Studies. Invited guest scholars will present their work, drawing on their own experiences to highlight the advantages and challenges of various research methods in practice.

Learning Outcome

The aim is for the student to acquire the following qualifications:

  • Ability to use the knowledge and theoretical/​methodological frame of reference acquired through the two basic courses of the first semester to take an interdisciplinary approach to topics relating to politics, development and change.
  • Ability to analyse complex societal phenomena in a changing African society and to identify the developmental challenges that Africa faces.
  • Ability to incorporate the political and administrative-institutional context as part of the analysis of Africa’s development to date and current situation.
  •  Knowledge of Africa’s place in the international political and economic system, including African countries’ dependence on international aid and the interaction between internal political, administrative and economic reforms in Africa and external conditions.
  • Mastery of the different stages of the writing process and the methodological structuring of a major written assignment. The student must be able to demonstrate the ability to define, specify and analyse the issue that makes up the topic of a major written assignment. The assignment must be interdisciplinary in nature, and the student must, in his or her assignment, demonstrate the ability to present the given topic and the results of the assignment in a systematic form which is accessible to a wider audience.
Compulsory course only offered for MA students and professional master students at CAS.
In order to participate in the exam the student must submit a paper for the opponent phase and participate in the feedback groups during the opponent phase. Both the paper and participation in feedback groups must be accepted by the lecturer.
Teaching for the course is divided into three stages:
• A seven-week module with four lessons per week based on a set syllabus comprising of lectures and classroom discussions, requiring participation and active engagement, including student presentations.
• A four-week module with supervision for writing a paper based on a syllabus composed by the student. The supervision covers choice of literature and review of the problem outline and synopsis drawn up by the student on an individual basis.
• A two-week module (opponent phase) in which each student must present a paper in its final form. The papers are presented in groups, and the group members provide feedback. Participation in feedback groups is compulsory.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 32
  • Course Preparation
  • 140
  • Exam
  • 248
  • Total
  • 420
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Exam period
June 2014
Criteria for exam assesment

The grade of 12 is given at the exam when the student demonstrates:

  • Comprehensive expertise in interdisciplinary analysis of topics relating to politics, development and change in Africa.
  • Confident ability to independently identify, define and analyse an issue.
  • Confident ability to independently discuss the issue in question from an interdisciplinary perspective.
  • Confident ability to independently and critically select, analyse and produce relevant material.
  • Confident ability to communicate academic material in a clear, concise and well-argued manner.