Polts Society in West Africa

1 or 3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This discussion-based seminar will introduce students to the diverse societies and contentious politics of West Africa. Focusing on the period since independence, the course will examine several case studies, including Senegal, Mali, and Nigeria. Students will read diverse primary and secondary sources, including memoirs by African leaders, accounts by anthropologists, and works by historians and political scientists. In addition to its emphasis on West Africa, the course will develop students' ability to analyze local, national, and regional politics.