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71164-01 - Seminar: States and Violence in Africa (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2025 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers |
Evelyn Dietsche (evelyn.dietsche@unibas.ch, Assessor)
Martina Santschi (martina.santschi@unibas.ch) |
| Content | In this seminar we will discuss the role of states for peace and development, as much as their role in war-making, conflicts, and coercion. On the back of historical and theoretical perspectives on state formation and violence, we will focus on states in Africa, where many states are considered fragile and conflict-affected and formal national authorities are often at odds with local formal and informal authorities. We delve into the nexus of political order, taxation, and state-building; discuss the provision of property rights; examine the prevalence of polycentric systems of governance and contested authority; and deliberate on the difficulties of building peace in post-war contexts. |
| Learning objectives | - To gain an understanding of the main concepts on the history and the theory of states with focus on African countries. - To gain knowledge and reflect on the role of political negotiations and violent conflict in the formation of political authority and state capacity building. - To critically analyze and reflect on factors such as colonial legacies, social structures, economic empowerment, ethnicity, and control over natural resources. - To learn about the practical usefulness of the gained knowledge and develop own ideas for research. |
| Bibliography | Bates, Robert H. (2021). Prosperity and Violence. The Political Economy of Development. Norton Series in World Politics. Bonne, Catherine (2014). Property and Political Order in Africa. Land Rights and the Structure of Politics. Cambridge University Press. Bräutigam, Deborah, Odd-Helge Fjeldstad, and Mick Moore (2008). Taxation and State Building in Developing Countries. Cambridge University Press. Carlisle, Keith, and Rebecca L. Gruby. "Polycentric systems of governance: A theoretical model for the commons." Policy Studies Journal 47.4 (2019): 927-952. Hagmann, Tobias, and Didier Péclard. "Negotiating statehood: dynamics of power and domination in Africa." Development and change 41.4 (2010): 539-562. Kasfir, Nelson, Georg Frerks, and Niels Terpstra. "Introduction: Armed groups and multi-layered governance." Civil Wars 19.3 (2017): 257-278. North, Douglass C., John J. Wallis, and Barry R. Weingast (2009). Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History. Cambridge University Press. Péclard, Didier, and Delphine Mechoulan (2008). Rebel governance and the politics of civil war. Working Paper 1, Bern: swisspeace. Pritchett, Lant, Kunal Sen, and Eric Werker (2017). Deals and Development. The Political Dynamics of Growth Episodes. Oxford University Press. Taylor, Brian D., and Roxana Botea. "Tilly tally: War-making and state-making in the contemporary third world." International Studies Review 10.1 (2008): 27-56. |
| Comments | Block 8 sessions x 3 hours, taking place between 28.02.-29.05.2024 Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science with the beginning of the FS20 semester. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants will be limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
| Admission requirements | Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science with the beginning of the FS20 semester. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants will be limited. The places are assigned according to date of enrollment and subject of study. Priority will be given to students of Political Science. |
| Language of instruction | German |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 16.15-18.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
Dates
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Regionaler Fokus M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Theory and General Anthropology (Master's degree subject: Anthropology) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft M.A. (Master's degree subject: Political Science) Module: Basics: Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Module: Conflicts and Peacebuilding (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) Module: Fields: Governance and Politics (Master's degree program: African Studies) Specialization Module Global Europe: Peace and Conflict Studies (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) Specialization Module Global Europe: Statehood, Development and Globalization (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Participation (plenum and group work) + learning journal entries |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,5 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Politikwissenschaft |