TAFAAAG15U Optional course: Africa and Globalisation: Linking and Delinking Practices in Perspective

Volume 2017/2018
Education

MA programme in African Studies

Content

Globalisation has been a major topic of discussion and concern in debates since the mid-1990s. So what is "globalization"? What are its implications for Africa and Africans? What are its potential benefits and risks? What can Africa do to benefit from it, to avoid its downside risks? Is there any good reason to fear globalization?

To analyse and answer these and other questions, this course will give insights, analytical tools and cases from Africa. Situating perspectives and discussion related to local, national and international aspects for Africa and Africans.

The primary objectives of this course are as follows: (1) Debating globalisation as concept and implications for Africa. (2) develop understanding of key concepts including theories related to globalisation; and (3) Discuss specific cases from Africa related to globalisation.

 

Key elements in this course will be:

  • Critically discuss globalisation implications in Africa and the role African actors and institutions play in linking up or delinking from globalisation.
  • Globalisation related to utilization of natural resources linked to discussion about cost/benefit sharing, conflicts related to scarcity and abundance etc.
  • Debating globalisation in Africa – related to the role of state, market and civil society.
  • Discuss globalisation linked to debates about decolonisation of Africa and African values
  • Impact and coping strategies related to climate change in Africa. 

 

Learning Outcome

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

  • Ability to select a relevant sub-topic within the overall focus area of globalisation. The sub-topic should be geared towards specific conditions related to Africa.

 

  • Ability to independently and critically select relevant literature on the sub-topic related to globalisation

 

  • Ability to independently and critically analyse the sub-topic in question and to place it within the overall context of globalisation.
     

SUGGESTED PRELIMINARY READING


Dingwerth, Klaus and Philipp Pattberg 2006. Global Governance as a Perspective on World Politics. Global Governance. Vol. 12, No. 2 (Apr.–June 2006), pp. 185-203.

Duffield, Mark 2014. Global Governance and the New Wars. London: GB: Zed Books

Duit, Andreas and Victor Galaz 2008. Governance and Complexity—Emerging Issues for

Governance Theory. Governance: An International Journal of Policy, Administration, and Institutions, Vol. 21, No. 3, July 2008 (pp. 311–335).

Jenkins, R. (2005) ‘Globalization, Corporate Social Responsibility and Poverty’, International Affairs 81(3): 525-540.

Kjær, Anne Mette 2014. “From ‘Good’ to ‘Growth-Enhancing’ Governance: Emerging Research Agendas on Africaʼs Political-Economy” in Governance in Africa, vol. 1, pp. 1-10.

Nederveen Pieterse, Jan 2009. Development Theory SAGE Publications Ltd, UK

Paterson, Matthew, David Humphreys and Lloyd Pettiford, 2003. ‘Conceptualizing Global Environmental Governance: From Interstate Regimes to Counter-Hegemonic Struggles’, Global Environmental Politics, Vol. 3, No. 2, pp.1-10.
 

This course is about learning rather than teaching. All members of the class are expected to show genuine commitment to maximizing the return from the time invested in the class. Reading course literature will be expected and the class sessions will build on this material.The course will consist of a combination of lectures and workshop-like activities with active student participation and presentations by a number of external lecturers including guests from the private sector, NGOs and researchers.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Class Instruction
  • 28
  • Total
  • 28
Credit
15 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
External censorship
Exam period

Winter Exam

For more information please see here: https://intranet.ku.dk/africanstudies_ma/examination/examinationtimeschedule/Pages/default.aspx

Criteria for exam assesment


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

* Confident ability to identify and define a sub-topic and an issue of relevance to the overall theme of the optional course.

* Confident ability to independently and critically select relevant literature on the sub-topic to be studied.

* Confident ability to independently and critically analyse the sub-topic in question and the chosen literature.

* Confident ability to conduct an interdisciplinary analysis of the sub-topic in question and to place it within the overall theme of the optional course in question.

* Confident ability to communicate academic material in a clear, concise and well-argued manner.