IFCO 5095 - The International Politics of Africa

This course analyses the international politics of Sub-Saharan Africa and its global context, primarily in the period since 1960. While the course works as a broad introduction, it is also aimed at students who have prior knowledge and wish to deepen their understanding of the subject.

The course aims to a) provide a view of African international relations and domestic politics as intrinsically linked, b) critically reflect on the varied trajectories of African states in the context of global systemic transformations and c) provide a grounding on the rich scholarly debates on Africa’s position within the Global South and the international system more generally. We will discuss these matters through close examinations of a number of case studies across contemporary Africa and its external linkages. The course covers matters often addressed separately in international relations, comparative politics and international political economy.

It is a fundamental course. It would be useful if students consulted the preliminary readings ahead of the first class.

The course will consist of twelve 2-hour long lectures as well as two methods’ tutorials with the teaching assistant.

Mid-term assignment: a group paper, which will develop an argument around the academic scholarship of one of the major course themes (20% of final course mark).

Final assignment: a three-hour final exam, on-site, at Sciences Po (80% of final course mark).