Aims

To analyse the main social and economic constraints confronting sub-Saharan Africa in terms of its past and recent history, and the situation it currently faces.

Main themes

The constraints will be analysed under the following thematic headings:
- Africa in world geopolitics.
- The mechanisms of dependence.
- Africa and funders.
- Africa's debt.
- From structural adjustment to political adjustment.
- Enterprises and African entrepreneurs.
- The informal sector.
- Africa: its towns and cities and the countryside.

Content and teaching methods

Methodology
The course will be given in the form of lecture-like expositions interspersed with debates.
Each student (or group of students) will give a talk based on substantive data on one of the constraints listed in the Course specifications.
The assessment will be carried out on the basis of the talks.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

There are no particular pre-requirements, although students will be expected to have a basic knowledge of sub-Saharan Africa.
Students' understanding will be verified by oral examinations or by written work (essays) dealing with the themes of the course.
Support: Talks will be illustrated partly by such supports as charts, graphs and tables, and partly by videos.

Other credits in programs