Examining Econ Devt in Africa

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Juris Doctor

Since the turn of this century, African countries have recorded impressive economic performance, as GDP averaged over 5 percent for both oil and non-oil economies. Although African countries have been consistently counted among the fastest growing economies in the world each year, poverty, unemployment, and inequalities persist across the continent. Why has Africa’s laudable GDP growth, and the abundance of natural resources, failed to trigger economic growth that is tangible, substantial, and sustainable? Millions of Africans struggle to survive below the poverty line, basic social services (particularly health care and education) are denied to many, and governance failures precipitate endemic insecurity. This course will explore five questions: What explains the phenomenon of jobless economic growth in Africa? How could Africa’s natural resource endowment support and sustain pro-poor economic growth? What explains the political economy of economic development in Africa? What factors impact economic development in Africa? Why are some countries within Africa more successful than others? The sessions will analyze the drivers of economic growth in Africa through research, case studies and a simple regression analysis, examine theoretical foundations of economic development, consider options for effective natural resource governance, and outline innovative post-COVID development pathways.