PSC 477 (42595): Contemporary African Politics
Dr. Laura Seay
Fall 2012
MW, 2-3:15pm
Wheeler 306
Email: lseay@morehouse.edu
Office Phone: Ext. 2255
Office: Wheeler 307
Office Hours: Mondays, 12-2
Wednesdays, 12-1, or by
appointment
Course Topics
This course is a broad overview of political processes and institutions in sub-Saharan Africa.
Beginning with the pre-colonial period, we will trace the development of institutions and norms
of political behavior throughout the continent into the colonial period and, finally, to the postindependence era. Particular attention will be paid to the development of modern African states,
challenges to the legitimacy of governing authorities, and current events affecting state stability.
Africa is a continent, not a country, and as such its 49 sub-Saharan states are home to a vast
range of cultures, languages, and political systems. It is not possible to understand all of this
variation in a lifetime, much less in a semester, thus in this course, we will seek to identify
general patterns and themes in political life that are common to most African states.
Course Objectives
The primary objective of this course is for students to gain familiarity with and be able to apply
theoretical concepts in the study of African politics. Students will also leave this course having
learned about major theories and approaches to the study of African politics, including historicalinstitutional perspectives, rational choice theories, and structural views. This course also aims to
develop student skills of clear and cogent articulation and critical thinking with an emphasis on
empirically-based argumentation and reasoning skills. An independent research project, a
semester-long simulation, examinations, and in-class discussions will all be used to evaluate
student progress in developing these skills.
Texts
There are three required textbooks for this course. All are available for purchase at the college
bookstore. Purchasing the textbooks is mandatory. You may be able to find less expensive
copies of these books online through sites like amazon.com or the chegg.com textbook rental
service. Some (but not all) of the textbooks will be available on reserve at the Robert Woodruff
Library.
1. Pierre Englebert, Africa: Unity, Sovereignty, & Sorrow (Lynne Rienner, 2000)
2. Todd J. Moss, African Development: Making Sense of the Issues & Actors, 2nd edition
(Lynne Rienner, 2011)
3. Phyllis Martin and Patrick O’Meara, eds. Africa (3rd Edition), Indiana University Press, 1995
The majority of assigned readings for the course are articles available as electronic files on the
course WebCT site. If for some reason you do not have access to WebCT, contact Dr. Anne
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Grey (agrey@morehouse.edu) in Instructional Technology to gain access. You can also find the
readings using JSTOR and other services available from the Robert Woodruff Library.
I reserve the right to assign additional readings as necessary, especially if students are not
adequately prepared for class discussions.
Grades
The grade you earn is the grade you will receive in this course. Grades are not negotiable and I
will not award points on the basis of your intention to do well. The only thing that matters in
determining your grade is your performance in the course. I assume that each student begins
this course as average, that is, at a C level. The assignments you will complete are your
opportunity to prove that your understanding of the course material is above, at, or below
average.
Your course grade is determined according to the following scale:
A+ (4.0) – 98-100
C+ (2.3) – 77-79
F (0) – below 60
A (4.0) – 94-97
C (2.0) – 73-76
A- (3.7) – 90-93
C- (1.7) – 70-72
B+ (3.3) – 87-89
D+ (1.3) – 67-69
B (3.0) – 83-86
D (1.0) – 63-66
B- (2.7) – 80-82
D- (0.7) – 60-62
It is your responsibility to keep up with your grades as the course progresses. Do not come to me
to ask what your average is so far. I will post your assignment grades in WebCT so that you may
easily access them.
Assignments
Exams 1 & 2 - 15% each
Project Diaspora Points – 15%
Simulation – 10%
Seminar Leadership – 10%
Weekly Quizzes – 15%
Map Quiz – 5%
Participation – 15%
Total – 100%
Examinations (15% each)
Two examinations will test your mastery of the course material and ability to apply knowledge in
unfamiliar contexts. Each exam covers only the portion of the course immediately preceding
that exam. There is no comprehensive final exam in this course. Exam dates are October 8
and November 28.
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Project Diaspora (15%)
This semester, each student will work with Project Diaspora (http://projectdiaspora.org/,
@projectdiaspora) to become the class “expert” on one sub-Saharan African country (only one
student may study each country). This means that you will be responsible for researching its
political history, following its current political events, and participating in a simulation as a
representative of your country.
Project Diaspora points are earned by engaging in interactive activities with Africans and
Diasporans around the world via Project Diaspora’s social media presence. You must earn 100
Project Diaspora points in order to receive a 100 for this grade, and each time you take part in a
Project Diaspora activity, you will earn twenty points. This will take place through a variety of
forms we will discuss in more detail in the second week of class, including writing blog posts,
recording video podcasts, interviewing African and Diaspora leaders, hosting Twitter chats, and
Tweeting. The last day to earn Project Diaspora points is Monday, November 26 by 5pm
EST.
Simulation (10%)
We will simulate a Summit of the African Union through an ongoing, in-class debate in which
each student will represent the African state whose politics you chose to follow for the semester.
Our Wednesday meetings will be largely dedicated to the simulation. This simulation will allow
us to discuss African politics via historical scenarios and real time crises over the course of the
semester, while developing students’ critical reasoning, research, public speaking, and
negotiation skills. The simulation will begin on September 12 and will continue for eight weeks.
Your grade will be determined by your knowledge of the topics at hand, knowledge of your
country, ability to clearly express your views, negotiation skills, and willingness to work with
other participants, as well as by a one-page position paper you will write about the topic at hand
each week. We will discuss simulation requirements in great detail in class on Monday, August
29.
Research Paper (10%)
The research paper is the culmination of our semester-long study of African states and their
politics. You will write a 15-page paper on your country’s political development from the precolonial period to the present, including a discussion of the challenges covered in the semesterlong simulation. More details about the research paper assignment will be distributed in class on
September 5. The research paper must be uploaded to Turnitin.com by 2pm on Wednesday,
November 21.
The class ID for Turnitin.com is 5319836 and the password is kristof.
Seminar Leadership (10%)
Each student is responsible for leading class discussion for one day of the course. The day’s
leader will come to each week’s Monday class having thoroughly studied all of the assigned
readings and ready to lead his or her classmates in a discussion of the week’s topic. The leader
for the day must submit a list of five analytical questions for discussion to the professor by
email (lseay@morehouse.edu) by 8am the Friday before that week. It is your responsibility
to remember the date by which your questions must be submitted. Failure to submit your
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analytical questions on time will result in a 10-point grade deduction. I will forward the
questions to the class after receiving them. Students should read these questions and be prepared
to discuss them prior to the week’s class session. Sign-ups for seminar leadership days will
occur on the first day of class.
Weekly Quizzes (15%)
Each Monday, you will take a quiz over the week’s assigned readings. The quiz questions will
always be the same. You should consider these questions when reading for each class session.
They are as follows:
1) What is the puzzle the author is trying to solve?
2) What is the author’s central argument?
3) What evidence does the author use to support his or her argument?
Quizzes CANNOT BE MADE UP FOR ANY REASON. You may miss one weekly quiz
without penalty. After one missed quiz, ten points will be deducted from your weekly quiz grade
for each additional missed quiz. Quizzes are worth ten points apiece and will be graded on a
credit-no credit basis. If the quiz shows no evidence of the student having read the materials, no
points will be earned.
Map Quiz (5%)
On September 10, you will take a map quiz. You will be asked to identify from memory several
African states and their capital cities by filling in a blank map. You must also know each
African state’s former colonizer. This exercise is designed to ensure that students are familiar
with the countries and cities we will discuss in the course. If you fail to attain a grade of at
least 70% on the quiz, you must retake the quiz until you earn 70%.
Participation (15%)
Participation in this course is expected and mandatory. I will evaluate your course participation
based on your attendance and the quality and quantity of comments you make in class.
This is a seminar-style course and as such, it will not work if all of the students are not prepared
for every class session. If you are habitually unprepared for discussion, you will be asked to
drop the course.
Course Policies
1. Participation - Active participation is required in this course. Due to the nature of political
discourse, we will discuss controversial topics from time to time. Students are expected to be
respectful of classmates’ views and courteous towards one another.
2. Attendance - The Morehouse College attendance policy states that students are allowed three
unexcused absences for this three-credit course. Accruing more than three unexcused absences
may cause you to be administratively dropped from the course or to fail the course. I am
required to report excessive unexcused absences to the Office of Records and Registration upon
their request. Officially excused class absences are only granted in the case of participation in an
official college event (such as travel for athletics or another sanctioned activity), illness, court
appearances, physician’s appointment, funerals, family emergencies, military obligations,
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conferences with the Dean or Faculty or Staff, and other official school business. All excused
absences must be approved by the Associate Dean of Students within three calendar days of the
missed class and must be signed by the student’s academic advisor. It is the student’s
responsibility to make up worked missed due to officially excused class absences. Personal
travel is not an officially excused class absence. Please plan travel for holidays accordingly.
Please also note that social activities are not considered official college business.
I will take attendance each day using a sign-in sheet. If you arrive late to class and the sign-in
sheet has already circulated, you may not sign in and will be counted as absent for the day.
It is rude to me and distracting to your fellow students for you to arrive late for class, particularly
if you habitually do so. Students who arrive to class more than five minutes late will not be
permitted to enter the classroom.
3. Missed Classes & Assignments - If you miss class, it is your responsibility to obtain the
lecture notes from a classmate. I do not release my lecture notes or slides to students. If you
miss a class period, obtain the notes from a classmate, and still have questions about the lecture
materials, please visit me during office hours for clarification.
Late work will not be accepted. Papers are due in class on the due date with no exceptions. If
you do not turn in a paper when it is due, you will receive a grade of 0 for that assignment.
Broken laptops, non-functioning printers, and traffic jams are not excuses for late papers. I
suggest that you begin work on your paper early and print it prior to the hour before it is due in
order to avoid these sorts of problems. I do not accept papers via email. It is your responsibility
to ensure that your paper is printed and ready to be turned in on the due date in class.
I will only accept late papers from students with excused absences who have official verification
of their absence from Student Services.
4. Readings - Please come to class having done all assigned readings for that day.
5. Classroom Conduct – Please be polite to me and your fellow students. Arriving late, using
electronics, and talking during lectures are disruptive behaviors that impede the ability of other
students in the class to learn. Turn off mobile phone ringers during the class period. If you
use your phone for a conversation, web-surfing, or text messaging during the class period, I
will confiscate it. If you habitually do so or engage in non-course-related discussions during
lecture, you will be asked to leave the classroom. Please note that the use of laptops is not
permitted in this class.
6. Privacy - Please note that all activities in this course fall under the provisions of the Family
Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This federal law prohibits the instructor from
discussing your grades or course performance with your parents, even if they are the ones paying
your tuition. You are responsible for your performance in this class.
7. Extra Credit – In the interest of being fair to everyone, special extra credit opportunities will
not be offered to individual students. Do not ask for special extra credit opportunities,
especially after the course has ended. They will not be granted under any circumstances.
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Students may earn 5 points extra credit on an assignment of their choice by bringing a recording
of a song by an artist from the country the student is studying. Be prepared to tell the class the
artist’s name, the song title, and the style of music, as well as whether it represents a traditional
or new artistic form.
8. Dress – A Morehouse Man is well-dressed. The college Appropriate Attire Policy will be
enforced.
9. Academic Honesty - All college policies regarding student conduct and academic honesty will
be enforced. No cheating or plagiarism, whether intentional or inadvertent, will be
tolerated. Plagiarism is defined as taking someone else’s ideas or words and presenting them as
your own. Failure to correctly cite sources in course papers is also considered plagiarism.
We will spend time in class discussing appropriate ways to cite sources and why plagiarism is a
serious issue. If you have questions about citing sources properly, please speak with a librarian,
a member of the Writing Lab staff, or the professor.
The penalties for academic dishonesty in this course are as follows:
Offense
Cheating on an exam or quiz (e.g., texting,
using notes, talking, or signaling to other
students during an exam)
Deliberate plagiarism/dishonesty (e.g.,
copying & pasting material, turning in a
paper you did not write, turning in a paper
written for another class)
Failure to cite sources in paper
Penalty
Immediate failure of the course; reported to
Student Services & department chair
Immediate failure of the course; reported to
Student Services & department chair
Student required to rewrite paper with a 30point penalty
Student required to rewrite paper with a 10point penalty per type of incident
Inadvertent plagiarism (e.g., citing most
sources but not citing all external material,
failing to show 1-2 quotations as such)
Second offense of inadvertent plagiarism or Grade of 0 for assignment; reported to
failure to cite sources, including in
Student Services & department chair
rewritten papers
There are NO EXCUSES for academic dishonesty. As noted above, when necessary, incidents
of academic dishonesty will be reported to Student Services and the department chair.
10. Communication – I will communicate with you via email. Please be certain that the email
address you have registered with the college and that you give to me on the first day of class is
an email address you check on a frequent basis. Check your email at least once daily.
Email is an excellent means of communication for logistical questions or questions for which
there is a simple answer. For detailed questions about course content, you should visit me during
office hours. I will NOT respond to email questions that can be answered by consulting the
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syllabus. If you lose your syllabus, you can consult the copy that is posted in the course
documents section of the course WebCT website.
I reply to student emails when I receive them to confirm that they got through. If I do not reply
to your email within 48 hours, that means I did not receive it. You need to either see me or
send the email again. If my Morehouse account is not working, you may try my personal
account: laura.seay@aya.yale.edu
Please note that it is extremely unprofessional and impolite to send your professors emails that:
1) do not show your first and last names as the “sender,” 2) do not contain information in the
subject line regarding the particular course you are writing about, and 3) use slang, text
messaging shorthand, or other informal language. I will not respond to emails that are
improperly formatted.
Please also note that I go to sleep at a reasonable hour, and I do not spend the day chained to my
computer or phone. I will not reply to emails at 3am, nor should you ever expect an immediate
response, especially on weekends. If you have a question, please ask early enough that I can
provide an answer before you need it.
11. Disability Accommodations
All college policies regarding disability accommodations are in effect. If you have a
documented disability accommodation, please give me the letter from the Office of Disability
Services stating your accommodations during the first two weeks of class. If the letter is not yet
available, please still notify me of your needed accommodations during the first two weeks of
class.
Please note that while I am happy to make appropriate disability accommodations as needed, no
extensions will be granted for long-term assignments like the simulation papers except in
extenuating, documented circumstances. Students who do not have documented disabilities
verified through the Office of Disability Services will not be permitted disability
accommodations.
12. Syllabus Consent Form
Please read and sign the syllabus consent form located on the last page of this syllabus. You
must turn in a signed syllabus consent form by September 12 in order to remain enrolled in
this course.
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Course Schedule
The instructor reserves the right to modify the course schedule and reading assignments as
needed.
August 22: Course Introduction
Film (in class): Chimamanda Adichie, “The Danger of a Single Story.” TED (2009)
Binyavanga Wainana, “How to Write About Africa.” Granta 92 (2005).
Nicholas Kristof, “Westerners on White Horses.” On the Ground. New York Times (July
14, 2010).
August 27: The Basics: Africa is Not a Country
Is Africa unique? Are politics in Africa different from politics elsewhere?
Moss, chapters 1 & 11
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 2
August 29: Pre-colonial History
How were pre-colonial African political structures similar to and/or different from preWestphalian state structures in other parts of the world?
Martin & O’Meara, chapters 4 & 6
Pierre Englebert, “Pre-Colonial Institutions, Post-Colonial States, and Economic
Development in Tropical Africa.” Political Research Quarterly 53:1 (March
2000), 7-36.
Jeffrey Herbst, excerpt from States and Power in Africa, pp. 3-57
Jan Vansina, Kingdoms of the Savanna (Madison: Wisconsin, 1966), chapter 2.
September 3: Labor Day Holiday – NO CLASS
September 5: Library Resources Day
Meet at the Woodruff Library for Session with Mr. Ola
September 10: MAP QUIZ & SYLLABUS CONSENT FORMS DUE
September 10, 12: Colonization and Colonial Politics
How effective were the different types of colonial governance structures across Africa?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 7
Moss, Chapter 2
Michael Crowder, “Indirect Rule: French and British Style” in Africa, Vol. 34.
September 17, 19: Nationalism and the Politics of Independence
What aspects of the colonial experience affected the development of nationalist ideologies?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 8
Richard Joseph, “Nation-State Trajectories in Africa.” Georgetown Journal of
International Affairs
Sekou Touré, “Africa’s Future and the World’s.” Foreign Affairs (1962).
Peter Ekeh, “Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: a Theoretical Statement.”
Comparative Studies in Society and History 17:1 (January 1975).
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Chinua Achebe, “Martin Luther King and Africa” in The Education of a BritishProtected Child (New York: Knopf, 2009), 131-137.
September 24, 26: Independence & the Challenge of State-Building
Were the newly independent states of Africa truly independent? What challenges did these states
face in the early years of independence?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 18
J.F. Ade Ajayi, “Expectations of Independence.” Daedalus 3:2
“Emeka Ojukwu.” The Economist (3 December 2011).
October 1, 3: Personal Rule & Neo-patrimonialism
Why did rule become quickly personalized in so many African states?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 9
Moss, chapter 3
Robert Jackson and Carl Rosberg, “Personal Rule: Theory and Practice in Africa.”
Comparative Politics 16:4 (July 1984).
October 8 – Midterm Examination
October 10: Cultural Predispositions?
Are some cultures predisposed to neo-patrimonial forms of rule or corruption in politics?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 11
Excerpt from Michael Schatzberg, “Metaphor and Matrix,” in Michael Schatzberg,
Political Legitimacy in Middle Africa (2001)
J.P. Olivier de Sardan, “A moral economy of corruption in Africa?” Journal of Modern
African Studies 37 (1999).
Morris Szeftel, “Misunderstanding African Politics: Corruption and the Governance
Agenda.” Review of African Political Economy 76 (1998).
October 15, 17: Sovereignty & Borders
Why are Africa’s borders strong even though direct control over territory is often weak? Why
don’t unhappy citizens of weak states just secede?
Robert Jackson & Carl Rotberg, “Why Africa’s Weak States Persist: the Empirical and
the Juridical in Statehood.” World Politics 35:1 (October 1982)
Excerpt from Bronwen Manby, Struggles for Citizenship in Africa (London: Zed, 2009),
1-25.
Englebert, chapters 1-6.
October 22, 24: Economic Challenges to the State, Part I: Challenges from Within
How do corruption and poor governance affect African economic development?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 19
Moss, chapters 6 & 7
Kathryn Firmin-Sellers, “The Politics of Property Rights.” American Political Science
Review 89:4
Kisangani N.F. Emizet, “Confronting Leaders at the Apex of the State: the Growth of the
Unofficial Economy in Congo.” African Studies Review 41:1.
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October 29, 31: Economic Challenges to the State, Part II: Challenges from Outside
What role does the international community play in inhibiting economic development in Africa?
Martin & O’Meara, chapter 20
Moss, chapters 8 & 9
Excerpt from Ian Taylor, China’s New Role in Africa (Boulder: Lynne Rienner, 2009),
161-185.
Chris Alden, China in Africa (London: Zed, 2007), chapter 3.
November 5: Dr. Seay in Austin to give a talk – NO CLASS
November 7: Health & Poverty
How does extreme poverty and epidemic disease affect political development?
Jacques Pepin, The Origins of AIDS (New York: Cambridge, 2011), Chapters 3 & 5
Moss, chapters 9 & 10
Alex de Waal, “How Will HIV/AIDS Transform African Governance?” African Affairs
102.
November 12, 14: Violent Conflict
What causes conflict in Africa? What do the Sudan and Uganda cases tell us about the
interaction of local, national, and international figures in causing, fighting, solving, or
prolonging conflict?
Moss, chapter 4
Excerpt from Gerard Prunier, Darfur: the Ambiguous Genocide (London: Hurst and
Company, 2007), 124-158.
Excerpt from Douglas H. Johnson, The Root Causes of Sudan’s Civil Wars (Oxford:
James Currey, 2003, 2007), 167-180.
Adam Branch, “Exploring the roots of LRA violence: political crisis and ethnic politics in
Acholiland” in Tim Allen and Koen Vlassenroot, The Lord’s Resistance Army:
Myth and Reality (London: Zed, 2010).
William Reno, Warfare in Independent Africa (New York: Cambridge, 2011),
conclusion.
November 19, 26: State Failure and Non-State Actors
Why do states fail? Why does state failure seem to occur relatively more frequently in Africa
than in other regions? Why do states “persist” despite having failed? How can states rebuild
after collapse?
Englebert, chapters 3 & 9
Pierre Englebert and Denis Tull, “Post-Conflict Reconstruction in Africa: Flawed Ideas
about Failed States.” International Security 32:4 (2008).
Timothy Longman, “Limitations to Political Reform: the Undemocratic Nature of
Transition in Rwanda” in Scott Straus and Lars Waldorf, eds., Remaking Rwanda:
State Building and Human Rights after Mass Violence (Madison: Wisconsin,
2011).
November 21: Research papers due uploaded to Turnitin.com by 2pm.
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November 21: Thanksgiving Holiday – NO CLASS
November 26: Project Diaspora Points due by 5pm EST
November 28 - Final Examination
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PSC 477: Contemporary African Politics
Dr. Seay
Fall 2012
Syllabus Consent Form
By signing below, I acknowledge that I have read and understand the syllabus for PSC 477,
Contemporary African Politics. I understand that the syllabus functions as a contract and that it
outlines my responsibilities as well as the responsibilities of the professor. In particular, I
understand that:
1. The grade I will receive for this class will be the grade I earn in this class.
2. It is my responsibility to be on time and prepared for class. I understand that I will be
asked to leave class if I am text messaging, talking, or using my phone or laptop for noncourse related purposes.
3. Dr. Seay will not give special extra credit opportunities to individual students since doing
so would be unfair to the rest of the class.
4. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated in this class. The penalties for academic
dishonesty outlined in the syllabus will be enforced with no exceptions, including for
unintentional academic dishonesty.
5. It is my responsibility to keep up with my coursework and grades.
6. Dr. Seay will not accept any late coursework for any reason, and I may not email my
papers to Dr. Seay.
7. If I have any questions about the course policies, I will ask Dr. Seay for clarification in a
timely fashion.
Signature: ___________________________________
Printed Name: ________________________________
Date: ________________________________________
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