Africa in International Politics

3 credits

This course is an introduction to the international relations of post-colonial Africa. It includes the global politics of pre-colonial Africa, the dynamics of colonialism, and the international relations of de-colonization as background topics. Moreover, the course will examine the politics of post-independence international alignments, the external causes and effects of authoritarian rule, and Africa's role in the global political economy. It concludes by reviewing pressing issues, such as state failure, the "war on terror", China's growing economic and political footprint, and African multilateralism. Students will understand the patterns of international relations in post-colonial Africa and explain and critically weigh available evidence using a range of theories to build their original insights.