IRE222 Development in Africa

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2020
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Samuel Antwi Darkwah, Ph.D. (lecturer), Mgr. Martin Chovančík, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Martin Chovančík, Ph.D.
Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Olga Cídlová, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of International Relations and European Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Wed 16:00–17:40 U34
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 30 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/30, only registered: 0/30
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 16 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
Africa is a region with diverse developmental challenges. Most African countries got their independence in the late fifties and early sixties, and soon afterwards most of the independent countries moved from capitalism which was established by the colonial masters into socialism bringing about a new political scene which was alien to the African continent. The then Soviet Union advised them to process most of their raw materials to catch up with the rest of the world. They therefore embarked on industrialization without paying attention to one of the basic fundamentals that underpins development in the early stages of transformation which was the development of the agricultural sector. Nevertheless, industrialisation has not taken off fully as compared to other developing regions due to bad governance notably corruption and instability on the continent. Due to the above issues the countries became heavily indebted (HIPC) leading to the implementation of Structure Adjustment Programmes supported by the IMF and the World Bank. These programmes to some extent reversed the economic decline but with much economic, social and environmental challenges. Today, many African countries are faced with serious developmental challenges that threaten economic and social growth. The objective of this course is to provide students with fundamental knowledge of some of the key development challenges facing Africa today as well as efforts being made by the International institutions and some African governments to overcome these issues.
Learning outcomes
Ability to understand foreign cultures and customs Ability to work in international context Communication in second language Skilled at utilizing and processing information Work in a team Specific competences: Ability to communicate in foreign language using corresponding terminology Ability to compare regional disparities and crucial factors conditioning the disparities Awareness and observing the aspects stemming from non-European national and cultural backgrounds Familiarity with and understanding developing issues of Africa Familiarity with environmental, demographic and migration trends and their economic and social impacts in developing countries
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to development challenges in Africa (lectures: 2, seminars: 0) 2. Basic facts about Africa (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 3. Colonialism, neo-colonialism and Africa’s political, social and economic development (lectures: 2, seminars: 4) 4. Poverty and income distribution in Africa (lectures: 4, seminars: 4) 5. Mineral exploitation, environmental degradation and sustainable development (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 6. Employment, unemployment and the informal economy in Africa (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 7. International migration of Africans and its consequences on Africa’s development (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 8. Urban growth and challenges of urbanization on the socio-economic growth of Africa (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 9. The challenges of agricultural and industrial development in Africa (lectures: 4, seminars: 4) 10. The role of education on Africa’s development. (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 11. Health and socio-economic development of African countries (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 12. Types of Aid and their impact on Africa’s development (lectures: 2, seminars: 2) 13. The role of multinational organizations (IMF, World Bank, EU, etc.) on Africa’s development. (lectures: 2, seminars: 2)
Literature
  • DARKWAH, S. A. Development problems of Africa. Brno, Astron studio CZ, a.s., 2013. ISBN 978-80-7375-902-5
  • GREEN, D. From poverty to power. How active citizens and effective states can change the world. Oxford, UK, Oxfam International, 2008. ISBN 978-0-85598-593-6
  • PUPLAMPU, P K. – TETTEY, W. Critical perspectives in politics and socio-economic development in Ghana. The Netherlands, Brill, 2003. ISBN 90-04-13013-6
  • DIETZ, J L. – CYPHER, J M. The process of economic development. 3. vyd. Abingdon, Oxon UK, Routledge, 2009. ISBN 978-0-415-77104-7
  • POTTER, R B. – DESAI, V. The companion to development studies London, Hodder Education, 2008. ISBN 978-0340-88914-5
Assessment methods
The structure of the final grade will be as follows: Attendance 5 % Final exam 70 % A ten-page seminar paper on a given topic 15 % Class presentation and discussions 10 %
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
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