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ECON 366W: Development Issues for Sub-Saharan Africa
AFS 366W: Special Topics in African Studies
Spring 2014
TuTh 10:00 – 11:15
IFB 129
Professor Gordon StreebPhone: 404-712-7083
Room 306H, Rich
Office Hours: TuTh 11:15-1:00
Introduction:
This course is designed to provide students the opportunity to explore issues in economic development viewed from the perspective of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). [Note. Throughout the course and in this syllabus, for sake of convenience, Sub-Saharan Africa will often be shortened to “Africa” it being understood the states above the Sahel (Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco) are not included.] Economic development is understood to encompass not only growth in per capita income but also the quality of life, absolute poverty, inequitable distribution of income and wealth, freedom and self-esteem. Accordingly, readings and classroom discussion will range from the determinants of growth to the role of external funding agencies to the role of state institutions seen in the context of Africa’s colonial and post-colonial history. Recent data on growth in Africa suggests Africa may indeed have moved onto a sustainable growth path. Is this evidence convincing?
Methodology:
As set forth by the Educational Policy Committee: “The goal of writing–intensive courses is to improve writing skills through writing regularly in a context where mentors in the various communities of discourse encourage, guide, and communicate to students high standards of writing through instruction and example.” Writing assignments, deadlines and classroom presentations are geared to this objective. Furthermore, the course is conducted in a seminar setting; accordingly, students will be expected to read the material listed in the syllabus in order to contribute meaningfully to class discussions, and, as assigned, research specific topics in greater depth. Given that classroom participation is central to the course, attendance is mandatory. Students are allowed no more than two unexcused absences – each absence beyond two will result in a deduction in participation points.
Assignments and Grading:
1. Research Paper and Presentation: 55%
The research paper constitutes over half of the grade; in order for students to gain maximum benefit from this effort, there must be regular feedback between student and professor. It is, therefore, very important that deadlines be met which in turn means that the student needs to select a topic early on in the course. Any topic related to economic development is appropriate and may be on an issue, country, cross-country or regional basis, e.g., importers’ trade barriers and their impact on agricultural development in SSA, …….. in Mali, or ……in Southern Africa. [Note. While there is an inherently interdisciplinary nature to this course (e.g. history, anthropology, culture, politics of SSA), the focus of the course is on the economic dimension of development. This does not suggest, however, that when researching and writing on a subject, these other aspects will
not be relevant.] Students should avoid overly broad subject material, e.g., how to improve the agriculture sector in Africa.
The guidelines and deadlines for the term paper are attached to the syllabus as a separate document.
2. Homework and Participation: 45%
- Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions; this will account for 10 of the 45 points.
- At the end of the semester, some students will make a 20-minute presentation of their term papers.
- Since there is not enough time available for every student to make such a presentation, the other students will be assigned specific topics or country case studies related to the readings and present them in class. The oral presentations will constitute 15 of these 45 points.
- From time to time, students will be required to submit a brief paper on an assigned topic. These papers will have a short turnaround time and will constitute the other 20 points.
Textbook:
The textbooks for this course are:
Todd Moss, African Development: Making Sense of the Issues and Actors, Second Edition, Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2011
Steven Radelet, Emerging Africa: How 17 Countries Are Leading the Way, Brookings Institution Press, 2010
I. Introduction:
1. SSA: Overview of Africa
2. Defining and Measuring Development: [Concepts: GDP, PPP, HDI, Gini Coefficients, Savings and Investment, Human Capital, Balance of Payments, etc.]
Nnadozie, Chapters 2 - 4 (pages 15 – 63)
Moss, Chapter 1
II. Where is Africa Now?
1. The Colonial Legacy
Moss, Chapter 2
Nnadozie, Chapter 8 (pages 149 – 179)
2. Overview
Moss, Chapter 6
Radelet, Introduction, Chapter 1 and Chapter 2
The World Bank, “Africa’s Pulse”
International Monetary Fund, “Regional Economic Outlook”, October 2010,
Main Findings” and Section 1 (pages 1 – 21)
III. African Governance
Radelet, Chapter 3 and Chapter 4
Moss: “Big Men” Chapter 3
Moss: “Violent Conflict” Chapter 4
Global Witness: “The Hill Belongs to Them: The need for international action on Congo’s conflict minerals trade”
Moss, “Reform” Chapter 5 and Chapter 7
IV. Domestic Issues
1. Agriculture, Land Reform
Nnadozie: Chapter 15 (pages 353 -372)
World Bank, Can Africa Claim the 21st Century?, Chapter 6, “Spurring Agricultural and Rural Development” (pages 170 – 207)
2. Urbanization and the Informal Sector
UN Habitat: “The State of African Cities – 2010”, Chapter 1(pages 16 – 57)
3. Infrastucture
“Africa’s Infrastructure: A Time for Transformation”, Vivien Foster &
Cecilia Briceno-Garmendia, The World Bank, Africa Infrastructure Country Diagnostic, Overview and Chapter 1
Radelet, Chapter 6
4. Health
Moss, Chapter 10
“Who gets AIDS and How?” Case studies of Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, World Bank Policy Research Working Paper No. 3844, February 2006
UNAIDS: “Global Report”, “Fact Sheet on Sub-Saharan Africa”
Gallup, Sachs, 2000, “The Economic Burden of Malaria”, CID Working Paper No. 52
V. The International Context
1. Globalization & Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
The World Bank, “Challenges of African Growth”, Chapter 3 (pages 49 – 80)
“Taking Care of Business” and “Enticing Investors”, Finance & Development, December 2006 (pages 30 – 36)
The World Bank, “Africa Competitiveness Report 2009”, Overview
Moss, Chapter 13
2. Trade
Moss, Chapter 12
“Can SSA leap into global network trade?” World Bank Policy ResearchWorking Papers, No. 4112, January 2007
3. Debt & Aid
Radelet, Chapter 5
Moss, Chapter 8
“Making Aid Work,” Finance & Development, December 2006
“Aid Can Work,” Finance & Development, March 2007
4. China in Africa
VI. Africa’s Future
1. Environment – Climate Change
“Africa Environment Outlook 2 – Our Environment, Our Wealth”, United Nations Environment Program, Introduction and Chapter 1 (pages xxiv – 43)
“Africa’s Development in a Changing Climate”, from “Regional Vulnerability to Climate Change, World Development Report 2010, “Booklet on Africa”
World Development Report 2010, Development and Climate Change, Chapter 1, “Understanding the Links between Climate Change and Development”
2. Will Africa Catch Up?
Radelet, Chapter 7 and Chapter 8
Moss, Chapter 14
Term Paper Particulars
The purpose[1] of your paper is to:
Show you have identified an issue in economic development in Sub-Saharan Africa that you wish to explore/research in greater depth;
Explain why you believe this issue is of current policy relevance;
Provide readers with the background and context for this issue;
Explain what proposals have been made to address the issue and successes or failures in implementing them;
Present your own thoughts, based on the literature review and your own research, as to how the issue might be addressed in the future.
STRUCTURE GUIDELINES: The paper should consist of the following parts (the numbers of pages are suggestions; you may need to vary by a page or two in each category but should not exceed 20 pages total.):
Introduction (2 pages)
- Why you have chosen this topic, why it is important in the development context of Sub-Saharan Africa;
- Statement of your thesis;
- Summary of main issues your paper will address.
Body
- Background (4 pages)
Review of literature;
Description of past efforts, if any, to address the issue.
- Analysis (10 pages)
What is the record of success or failure in addressing the issue?
What policy prescriptions have been suggested?
Conclusion (4 pages)
- Drawing on the above, spell out the policies/approaches you recommend justifying them with specific supporting arguments.
FORMAT GUIDELINES
Number of pages: 20 NOT including annexes and appendices.
Font: 12 point, Double spaced
References: Using Turabian Citation Style, list references in a reference page following the main text. Indicate sources by reference number in the main body of the text.
Appendices: Tables of data, charts, maps, graphs, explanations of terminology, etc., should be in appendices.
Quotations: If you are quoting a source directly, put that quote in italics within the body of the text, e.g., According to Freeman (2000) “…vast sectors of economic activity are largely unaccounted for in any formal fashion.” Freeman would then show up in the references as: Freeman, Constance. 2000 The Three Economies of Africa, African Security Review, Vol. 9, No. 4, 104-117. Longer quotations, i.e., a short, complete paragraph, can be indented and single-spaced rather than the entire text italicized.
Footnotes: Small explanations that are not directly relevant to your discussion should be covered in a footnote. Example: Micro-finance has been successful even in countries with weak financial institutions.
While it may be self-evident, students are cautioned that plagiarism is a violation of the University’s Honor Code and can result in a failing grade for the course. DO NOT include material taken directly from a source without citation!
Here is the full text from the Honor Council:
“The honor code is in effect throughout the semester. By taking this course, you affirm that it is a violation of the code to cheat on exams, to plagiarize, to deviate from the teacher’s instructions about collaboration on work that is submitted for grades, to give false information to a faculty member, and to undertake any other form of academic misconduct. You agree that the teacher is entitled to move you to another seat during examinations, without explanation. You also affirm that if you witness others violating the code you have a duty to report them to the honor council.”
GRADING
Quality of February 11 and March 4 submissions (10 points)
Evidence that you have done adequate research on your topic (20 points)
The coherence and consistency of the paper’s structure (25 points)
The accuracy and clarity of your arguments (30 points)
The style and quality of your writing (15 points)
DEADLINES
February 11: Topic and Introduction (Tick 1 only)
March 4: Outline (Ticks 2 & 3 of Introduction) and List of Sources
April 8: Rough Draft of paper
April 24-28: Final paper due [Last day of class is April 24 but you have until April 28
if you need extra time.]
Missing any of these deadlines will result in a loss of points.
[1] The paper is NOT a survey of the literature.