Course Description and Objectives

Sub-Saharan Africa has long been depicted in the media as a place of crisis – a region of the world often known for civil strife, disease, corruption, hunger and environmental destruction. This perception is not entirely unfounded, after all, HIV/AIDS in east and southern Africa, civil war in Sierra Leone and Rwanda, or drought in Ethiopia are known problems. Yet Africa is also a place of extraordinarily diverse, vibrant, and dynamic cultures. In the 1990’s no other continent saw more dramatic improvements in human rights, political freedom, and economic development. This ranged from the overthrowing of apartheid in South Africa, to the rise of multi-party democracy in Mali, to the revitalization of economies in countries such as Ghana and Uganda. Although environmental threats are real, African societies have proven their capacity, when given a chance, to use resources sustainably. Recent research suggests that traditional African knowledge regarding the environment is actually quite sound.

This class seeks to go beyond the superficial media interpretations of the vast African continent. As geographers, we will attempt to place contemporary African developments in a historical and global context. Africa has a long history of influencing and being influenced by the outside world. Among other issues, we will explore how colonialism, and even more recent ‘development’ initiatives, have influenced current structures in Africa. Furthermore, we will examine what restrictions, if any, the current world economic system places on development possibilities in Africa.

The course provides a basic background in African history and geography, leading to discussion of advanced topics in contemporary African studies. I take a systematic rather than regional approach in this course, examining sets of issues, rather than regions of Africa. We will cover a broad range of topics in the course, including: African stereotypes; Africa in historical perspective; Physical geography (physical landscapes, climate, vegetation, soils); Human-Environment Interactions (forest degradation, desertification); Population dynamics (population growth, distribution and mobility); African immigrant communities in the United States; Geography and Development (ideology and economic development, Africa in the global economy); Social Geography (African women and development, education); Agricultural Development (traditional farming systems, cash crops, policy); Urban Economies (evolution of the urban structure, industry, housing); and Political Geography (democratization, conflict).

Format

The class will meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The class will be conducted with both lectures and in-class discussions. Students are expected to have done all assigned reading before coming to class, and be prepared to discuss it. In addition to normal classroom banter, we will have seven designated discussion days during the term (see schedule). A few videos will be shown in the class.

This is your class, and I want to know how it's going. Please let me know if you would like to see changes, from lecture topics to grading. You are welcome to speak with me after class or to visit me in my office. The surest way to contact me is to send me e-mail (moseley@macalester.edu), which normally will be responded to promptly during normal business hours.

Disabilities

If you have a documented disability, or any other problem you think may affect your ability to perform well in this class, please see me early in the semester so that arrangements may be made to accommodate you.

Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism and cheating are both academic crimes. Never (1) turn in an assignment that you did not write yourself, (2) turn in an assignment for this class that you previously turned in for another class, or (3) cheat on an exam. If you do so, it may result in a failing grade for the class, and possibly even suspension from the college. Please see me if you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism. Anyone caught cheating on an exam will be reported to the provost in line with recognized college procedures.

Texts

1) Aryeetey-Attoh, Samuel (ed.). 1997. Geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. (ISBN: 0-13-375684-X). This is the main text for the course.

2) Readings on reserve in library and via electronic reserves (see reading list below)

Handouts will be distributed from time to time in class. The instructor is not responsible for providing handouts for students who are absent from class.

Assignments/Quizzes/Exams

Reading: Reading assignments related to course lectures are listed on the outline of topics that follows. Information from the textbook supplements lecture and forms the basis of a two-way class dialog. Readings for discussion days are listed separately below.

Participation and Discussion days: Class will be oriented towards discussion every other week (see schedule). The purpose of the discussion classes is to facilitate critical analysis and lively dialog on controversial issues related to African studies. I have organized discussion around a key set of issues in African Studies with pairs of readings representing contrasting viewpoints on each topic. While no issue in African studies has a simple yes or no answer, discussion readings have been organized as such to encourage debate and, hopefully, accelerate your heart rate.

The majority of class participation points will be derived from your comments in discussion. A few participation points will also be derived from my assessment of your participation in the lecture sessions (based on cogency of comments, questions, and answers to questions). Participation means more than being a warm body in class. Participation points are relatively easy to obtain if you keep up with the reading and speak up during discussion. Please see me if you have difficulty speaking in class. Student discussion leaders will be assigned to facilitate these sessions.

Midterm and Final: One midterm will be given as well as a final covering the second half of the term. Exams will be of the essay and short answer variety.

Shorter Writing Assignments: Students will learn how to write a policy memo and an Op-Ed piece (two valuable writing formats for those intending to work in the professional world). Instructions on how to write these short papers (approximately 1000 words) will be distributed well in advance of their due dates.

Book Review

Students will be asked to review a scholarly book on Africa. Instructions on how to write a book review will be handed out several weeks in advance of the due date. Students should select a book and clear it with me by March 20 or earlier. The book review (approximately 2000-2500 words) is due on May 1.

**Make-up exams or quizzes will only be given in the event of illness or other verifiable emergency. In the event of an absence during an exam or quiz, it is the student’s responsibility to contact me no later than one (1) class period after the test date.

Grading and Exams

Grade Components Grade Scale

Midterm (3/20): 30% 90-100% A

Final (5/14-19): 30% 80-89% B

Book Review (5/1): 13% 70-79% C

2 Short Papers (6% each, 2/27, 4/3): 12% 60-69% D

Participation: 15% £ 59% F

Total: 100%