PROSPECTS FOR AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, MAXWELL SCHOOL, WASHINGTON DC
Dr. Constance J. Freeman, Adjunct Professor
MAY 17-23, 2015
SYLLABUS
Sunday Evening, May 17
Initial Class Orientation:
5-7pmIntroductions: Professor and Class
Overview of Class: Expansion of Material Covered at Introductory Session
Presentation of Books:Students to present short reviews of books from the Reading List to expand the exposure of everyone to a variety of sources.
Class Discussion
7-8pmGet Acquainted Dinner, including class alumni from previous years
Monday, May 18
8:30-9Class Discussion, Plans for the Day
Introduction: An Overview and Update: Where is African Development Today?
9-10:15Steve Brundage: Retired Foreign Service Economics Counselor,Lecturer on African Economics
10:15-10:30Break
10:30-12:00Edwin L Barber: Senior Advisor, African Development, GWIConsulting and former Treasury Official charged with
Africa
12:00-1:00Lunch
State of the Art: Traditional Development Sectors
Education: Basic versus Advanced
1:00-4:00Kathryn Toure: Former Regional Director of IDRC for West and
Central Africa,Founder and Director of the Educational ResearchNetwork based in Mali
4:00-4:30Break
4:30-5:30Class Discussion
Tuesday, May 19
8:30-9:00Class Discussion
Agriculture: The Production/Sustainability Debate
9:00-10:30Faustine Wabwire, Bread for the World and Aniedi Okure, OP, PhD. Executive Director, Africa Faith and Justice Network.
10:30-11:00Break
Health: Health Systems and Diverse Approaches
11:00-12:30Warren (Buck) Buckingham, Office of Global Health Diplomacy andformer Director, Office of Global Health and HIV for Peace Corps
12:30-1:30Lunch
Education Cont.
1:30-3:00Vivian Lowery Derryck: President and CEO of Bridges Institute (Educating leaders against Muslim Extremism in Sahel)
3:00-3:30Break
3:30-5:00Class Discussion
Wednesday May 20
Newer Perspectives: Drivers of Development?
Information Technology
9:00-10:00Valerie Oliphant, FrontlineSMS, Projects Manager, Social Impact Lab Governance Portfolio
10:00-11:00Wayan Volta, Senior Mobile Advisor, FHI 360
11:00-11:15Break
11:15-12:00Carisa Graf Suleman: Running an ICT Business
12:00-1:00Lunch
New Donors: China
1:00-2:30Yoon Jung Park: Convener-Coordinator, Chinese in Africa/Africans in China Research Network
2:30-3:00Break
Private Sector: Indigenous and External Investment
3:00-4:30Stephen Cashin: Head, Pan African Capital Group, Long term investor in Africa
4:30-5:30Class Discussion
ThursdayMay 21
8:30-9Class Discussion
Selected Barriers to Development: Corruption,Conflict and Climate Change
Corruption
9:00-10:30TomCardamone: Managing Director, Global Financial Integrity (GFI)
10:30-11:00Break
Conflict
11:00-12:00Dr. Herbert Howe: Assistant Professor of African Studies at Georgetown University (Security Infrastructure in Africa)
12:00-1:00Lunch
1:00-2:15Amb. John Campbell, Council on Foreign Relations and Former US Amb. to Nigeria
2:15-2:30Break
Climate Change
2:30-3:45Melinda Kimble, United Nations Foundation
3:45-4:45Veronique Lee, Chemoniques International
4:45 -5:30Class Discussion
Friday, May 22
8:30-9Class Discussion
The International Environment
Africa in the International System
9:00-10:00Amb.Michael Southwick: Former Ambassador to Uganda and Dep. Assistant Secretary for International Organizational Affairs, Dept. of State
10:00-10:15Break
Role of Outside Assistance/Donors
10:15-11:30 Malik Chaka, Millennium Challenge Corporation,
11:30-12:30 Tim Lavelle: Senior Advisor, Food Security, Africa Bureau, USAID
12:30-1:30 Lunch
Conclusion: Prospects for African Development
African Leadership: Key to all Development Efforts?
1:30 -3:00Amb. Hank Cohen: Former Assistant Secretary for African Affairs and Author: The Mind of the African Strongman: Conversations with Statesmen, Dictators and Father Figures
3:00-3:15Break
3:15-5:00What Does It All Mean? Class members share their insights from individual countries about the applicability of the week’s presentations
Saturday Morning, May 23
9-12:00COURSE WRAPUP: Continuation of Friday afternoon discussion, review of final papers, concluding remarks and presentations, overall discussion and student desires.
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