OGLM 2035 - African Cities

Large metropolises in Africa are often considered as chaotic cities dominated by an informal economy and large shanty towns at the periphery of the world economy. They have also been portrayed as privilege sites of contestation of authoritarian regimes or conversely as spaces in which inhabitants have learnt to deal without the state to get access to basic services in various ways. This course will address these issues in paying attention to the legacy of the urban past and the heterogeneity of urban situations throughout the continent. It will focus on different forms of urban politics from access to housing and services such as water, transport, security to more recent environmental challenges and innovative solutions invented to address protracted and emerging urban issues. The class will be conducted as a combination of seminars and tutorials. Students are required to complete weekly required reading assignments prior to class.

None

12 x 2-hour sessions

Students will be evaluated on one collective review essay and presentation in class (40%), participation (20%) and one final paper (40%). Students are required to complete one of the two weekly required reading assignments prior to class and discussed them in class. The review essay will imply to write a short critical essay of 1000 words on the list of required reading of one session. Students will be graded on the capacity to critically discuss the articles and on the quality of the writing and of the presentation. The final paper is a 4000-word academic essay focusing on one targeted policy or one specific issue.