Back
| Semester | spring semester 2024 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Samantha Marie Gamez (samantha.gamez@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | The political landscape of Africa has been influenced by distinct conflicts. Ranging from colonial violence to civil wars and violent extremism, conflicts never take place in a vacuum. Social, political, and economic factors can drive violence, its trajectory, and its legacy in a society. Moving from the past back to the future, this seminar examines historical and contemporary violent conflicts in different African countries to understand these features better. We look at the impact of colonialism, the rise of insurgent groups, the role of greed and grievance and ethnic conflicts. By investigating past and present conflicts within the same countries such as Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, students will discover more concretely how history shapes today. Furthermore, each case study includes reflections on cultural aspects so students can begin to engage with the complexity of conflict contexts and question the narratives around violence and peace in Africa. We will look at some of the most prominent conflicts in Africa through literature and different media, using group discussions and a final paper to enhance comprehension. |
| Learning objectives | • Explaining what contributed to different conflicts • Understanding different conflict types • Analyzing how past conflicts influence present day conflicts |
| Bibliography | Aghedo, I. (2014). Old wine in a new bottle: Ideological and operational linkages between Maitatsine and Boko Haram revolts in Nigeria. African Security, 7(4), 229–250. https://doi.org/10.1080/19392206.2014.977169 Kaplan, R. D. (1994, February 1). The coming anarchy. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1994/02/the-coming-anarchy/304670/ Le Billon, P. (2001). The Political Ecology of War: Natural Resources and Armed Conflicts. Political Geography, 20(5), 561–584. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0962-6298(01)00015-4 Reno, W. (2011). Conclusion: The past and future of warfare in Africa. Warfare in Independent Africa, 242–256. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511993428.007 |
| Comments | For MSG Changing Societies students, participation is allowed, but the submission of a seminar paper is not possible due to the BA nature of the course.Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants is 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 | For MSG Changing Societies students, participation is allowed, but the submission of a seminar paper is not possible due to the BA nature of the course. Attention: All Seminars will be graded in the Department of Political Science. Grading scale 6.0 to 1.0, whereupon 4.0 is a pass. The number of participants is 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 | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 29.02.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 07.03.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 14.03.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 21.03.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 28.03.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Ostern |
| Thursday 04.04.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 11.04.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 18.04.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 25.04.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 02.05.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 09.05.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 16.05.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 23.05.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Thursday 30.05.2024 | 10.15-11.45 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Seminarraum 02.004 |
| Modules |
Modul: Erweiterung Gesellschaftswissenschaften B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Regionaler Fokus B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Modul: Vertiefung Politikwissenschaft B.A. (Bachelor's degree subject: Political Science) Module: Conflicts and Peacebuilding (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | • Participation (group work) • Written term paper |
| 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 |