Professor Ronald Brown

E-mail address:

PS 5999, South African Global Education

Class meetings, Monday-Wednesday, Noon to 3:00 PM

May 5 to June 24-- Wayne State University

June 27 to July 17 --Ghana

July 20-24-- Wayne State University

Course Overview

PS 5999, Ghana, Tourism and Democratic Global Education, has a twofold purpose, first, to increase student knowledge and understanding of how political elites and everyday citizens utilize national institutions such as festivals, museums, street art, monuments of national heroes, governmental buildings and as well as involvement with American institutions such as the United States Information Agency and the United States International Development Agency to convey to international visitors, and, in our case university students, the meaning of Ghanaian democracy. Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, was the an important slave trading port for Great Britain and other European powers, and, it was first former British colony to gain independence from Great Britain in 1957.

Attending the Bakatue Festival in Elimina, visits to the Prempreh II Jubilee Museum in Kumasi and exposure to lecturesat theKofi Annan International Peace Centre as well as the Ghana Armed Forces and Staff Command College in Accra will enhance student knowledge and increase awareness of how formal and informal aspects of the culture provide insight into the dynamics properties Ghanaian democracy.

Second, this course seeks to increase student understanding ofhow travel as a student-tourist, increases one’s knowledge and understanding of why tourism is a vital economic and political tool that has the potential to increase the prestige or international standing of Ghana. The United States since Ghana’s independence in 1957, via, the United States Information Agency, has sought to utilize American tourism, in particular African American culture to promote good relations between both nations. Reading about the agency and other United States agencies in Ghana will too enhance student awareness of the significance of American involvement Ghana’s political development.

In sum, students will develop a comprehensive overview and greater appreciation of howGhanaian citizens view themselves and the nation in the broader international community. Reading, discussions, travel, and writing about Ghana will enhance the globalization perspective of students. Students that cannot afford to travel to Ghana can fulfill class requirements by focusing on the political procedures utilized simultaneously by the Ghanaian Embassy in the United States and the American Department of State to promote friendly ties between both nations.

Assignments

Weekly news report / 15%
Weekly participation / 15%
Ghana Travel Journal / 25%
Tourism Research Project / 25%
Ghanaian Research Presentation / 20%

Description of Assignments

Weekly news report

Prior to our departure Ghana, students are required to write one weekly “news report” of breaking stories inleading Ghanaian news source that has some direct or indirect reference to the politics of tourism or and democracy. Each news story must contain the following information: a) name of the newspaper; b) author of the article) title of the story; d) summary of key points; and, e) your interpretation of the story. The interpretation must include information about the intended audience of the article, the argument and underlying values and assumptions of the author, and the political implications of the story. A tourism-democracy story may address authority, rules, political institutions, economics, crime, sports, political parties, national or international political authorities, or civil society.

Weekly participation

Students are required to read weekly articles, participate in class discussions, and to contribute to discussion board questions. Each discussion board answer should: a) consider the source of the information and theintended audience; b)the argument and underlying assumptions within a particular article; c) the reliability of the evidence, and; d) the political implications within the article.

Ghana Trip Journal

Students are required to write daily entries into a journal at the beginning of the trip to Ghana the first entry should be in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the last entry should be two days after returning to the United States. Each entry is subjective. However, each entry should address your reflections on being both a tourist and American student traveling abroad to a new emerging democratic nation. It is important to hand write your thoughts as soon as possible. Each journal entry must have a date, time, title, and details about a particular event that structures each written record. Journal entries can consist of reactions to news broadcasts, newspaper stories, sporting events, tours, interaction with Ghanaians, or other events. Professors Brown will utilize small group peer review, in-class discussions, and linkage of journal entries to overall course themes to evaluate the assignment. Students will discuss journal entries at our seminar meetings in Ghana.

Research Project

“The seeds of civilization are in every culture, but it is the city that brings them to fruition”- Susanne K. Langer, 1962. The research paper must focus on some key cultural aspect of how tourism is utilized in a city to promote Ghanaian democracy. Students should examine web-based descriptions of a particular city, actual empirical data, and keen observations from traveling in the city as a tourist and Wayne State University student.

Ghana Travel Journal

Students are required to participate in all small-group discussions taking place in American and Ghanaian airports, informal seminars in Ghana discussions on travel buses, and discussions taking place with tour guides. Students are required to participate in all scheduled activities in the United States and Ghana. Active participation includes listening, hearing and responding to questions. Moreover, it means starting discussions and asking questions of professors, tour guides, and others WSU professionals traveling to both nations.

Day/Date / Time / Activity / Location
June 27
Day 1
Friday / TBA / Flight / Northwest Airlines
Delta
June 28
Day 2
Saturday / Arrival in Accra, Ghana / Rest / Oscar Junction, Kwabeny, Accra, Ghana
June 29
Day 3
Sunday / Morning / Welcome / TBA
June 29
Day 3
Sunday / Afternoon / Tour of Accra, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum / Accra
June 30
Day 4
Monday / Morning / GHANA
Educational Adviser
USIS
P.O. Box 2288, Accra
Telephone: (233)21-229179
Fax: (233)21-229882
E-mail:
Or Ghana Tourism Ministry
P.O Box GP 4386 Accra
(+233-302) 666314 / Find address in Ghana
June 30
Day 4
Monday / Afternoon
Travel to Elmina Castle / Lecture if possible about festivals / TBA
July 1
Day 5
First Tuesday
Bakatue Festival / Morning / Bakatue Festival / Elimina
July 1
Day 5
Tuesday / Afternoon / Bakatue Festival / Elimina
Day/Date / Time / Activity / Location
July 2
Day 6
Wednesday / Morning / Lecture about slavery, democracy and Ghana-tourism
& if possible –lecture about African American tourists and slavery –if someone can do this / Hotel
July 2
Day6
Wednesday / Afternoon / Visit of Slave Castle
Elimina Council / Elimina
July 3
Day 7
Thursday / Morning / Check out of the Hotel / Elimina
July 3
Day 7
Thursday / Afternoon / Kakum National Park
Canopy Walk / National Park
July 3
Day 7
Thursday / Evening / Week review / Hotel
Accra
July 4
Day 8
Friday / Morning / GHANA
Educational Adviser
USIS
P.O. Box 2288, Accra
Telephone: (233)21-229179
Fax: (233)21-229882
E-mail:
Or Tourism Ministry / Accra
July 4
Day 8
Friday / Afternoon / If possible lecture about the power of soccer or sports to promote national identity
And visit of Soccer stadium and if possible talk to soccer player / Accra
Accra
July 5
Day 9
Saturday / Morning / Visit if possible Casket maker / Accra
July 5
Day 9 Saturday / Afternoon / Visit book stores / Accra
July 6
Day 9
Sunday / Morning / Visit –Church at Afrikana Mission –optional / Accra
July 7
Day 10
Monday / Morning & Afternoon / Lectures

Gender and power in Ghana –role of women in Ghana
Women and marriage –power women have in inside outside of home
Religion and politics in Ghana

/ Coco Beach
July 8
Day 11
Tuesday / Morning / History and Contemporary Ghanaian Culture / Coco Beach
July 8
Day 11
Tuesday / Afternoon / African Heritage –Challenges of Preservation / Coco Beach
Tuesday / Afternoon / ***if possible
Lecture about the power of the University to promote culture and democracy
And bookstore!!! on campus / Coco Beach
Campus?
July 8 / Afternoon / Dance Ensemble / Campus
July 9-
Day 12-
Wednesday / Morning / Depart for Kumansi / Drive to Kumansi
July 9
Wednesday / Afternoon / Okomfo Anokye Sword
Kumansi Cultural Center / ----Kumansi
July 10
Day 13
Thursday / Morning / Tour Kumansi
And Manhyia Place / Kumansi
Afternoon / Craft villages of Ahwiaa Center / Kumansi
July 11
Day 14
Friday / Morning / Return to Accra
July 11
Day 14
Friday / Afternoon
Free day
Review / Possible lectures about power of Chiefs and about Volta Dam and Nkrumah?
July 12
Day 15
Saturday / Morning
Afternoon / Depart for Akropong
Importance of Chiefs / Larteh
Akropong
July 13
Day 16
Sunday / Morning / Volta Dam
July 14
Day 17
Monday / Morning
Afternoon / Lecture-Democracy in Ghana
Kofi Anan Peace Keeping Center
and Ghana Armed Forces / ASDR
July 15
Day 18
Free day
July 16-Depart
Day 19-leave