Current and Past courses:
Introduction to International Relations
Overview
This course aims to provide students with a set of conceptual and analytical tools to enable them to acquire a deeper and more nuanced understanding of international relations. It seeks to do this through a survey of the various schools of thought in international political theories. The objectives of the course are to promote critical thought about a broad and intellectually demanding range of ideas and theories, and the ability to articulate this thought clearly and concisely in both the written and spoken word. By the end of the course, students should be able to gain an understanding of the potential and limitations of theory in the study of international politics.
Comparative Identity Politics in Africa
Overview
This course is a comparative analysis of identity politics in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Africa is a very heterogeneous region with ethnic and religious diversity. The course will introduce students to social identity theory and processes of identity politics — such as socialization, social and group categorization, indigenization, citizenship, and discrimination. The course will engage in how identity processes unfold in different areas of political discourse—such as public opinion, attitude formations, political behavior, inter-group conflict, and cooperation.
Globalization, Media and Culture
Overview
This course is designed to examine the changing global landscape and its impact on society and culture. The course will draw on analytical tools from the social sciences to make sense of the rapidly changing nature of global society. In the past three decades, the flows of commodities, ideas, people, norms and resources across international borders have accelerated exponentially. Driving these dynamics are not only market forces, but also the media, social networks, cultural diffusions, and institutional transformations. This course focuses on the social structures, institutional and organizational forms, political processes and cultural practices that mediate the encounter of the global and the national systems.
Overview
This course aims to provide students with a set of conceptual and analytical tools to enable them to acquire a deeper and more nuanced understanding of international relations. It seeks to do this through a survey of the various schools of thought in international political theories. The objectives of the course are to promote critical thought about a broad and intellectually demanding range of ideas and theories, and the ability to articulate this thought clearly and concisely in both the written and spoken word. By the end of the course, students should be able to gain an understanding of the potential and limitations of theory in the study of international politics.
Comparative Identity Politics in Africa
Overview
This course is a comparative analysis of identity politics in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. Africa is a very heterogeneous region with ethnic and religious diversity. The course will introduce students to social identity theory and processes of identity politics — such as socialization, social and group categorization, indigenization, citizenship, and discrimination. The course will engage in how identity processes unfold in different areas of political discourse—such as public opinion, attitude formations, political behavior, inter-group conflict, and cooperation.
Globalization, Media and Culture
Overview
This course is designed to examine the changing global landscape and its impact on society and culture. The course will draw on analytical tools from the social sciences to make sense of the rapidly changing nature of global society. In the past three decades, the flows of commodities, ideas, people, norms and resources across international borders have accelerated exponentially. Driving these dynamics are not only market forces, but also the media, social networks, cultural diffusions, and institutional transformations. This course focuses on the social structures, institutional and organizational forms, political processes and cultural practices that mediate the encounter of the global and the national systems.
Political economy of African development (undergraduates and masters students) )
Overview
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to introduce contemporary development issues in Africa. Drawing on literatures from political sciences, economics, sociology and history, it explores the challenges of development in the continent since independence, as well as investigates the influences of governance, institutions, conflicts and external forces in Africa’s development trajectories. This is an applied course that would utilize both theoretical and policy analytical approaches to examine the political and socioeconomic dynamism in contemporary Africa.
This course is guided by questions, such as: Why have most African countries remained underdeveloped, poor and susceptible to conflicts (many of which seem intractable)? What are the past and current roles of the global ‘West’ in Africa? What are the implications of current democratization and growth trends in Africa? To answer these questions we will explore various political, economic and sociological theories, as well as show historical evidences of such theories, using them as tools to study individual countries as cases for the course. The aim is to present African socio-political and economy experiences through cross-country variations so that students will be equipped with a set of theoretical and analytical tools that will enable them understand development trajectories in Africa.
(Syllabus)
Ethnicity and Inequality in Global Perspectives (undergraduate and masters students)
Overview
This interdisciplinary lecture course draws on literature in sociology, politics, economics, international relations, and development studies to critically examine the institutions, beliefs and practices that engender ethnic inequality throughout the world. Students will gain an understanding of how ethnicity, identity and religion interact with the institutions of modern societies to produce sustained social and economic disparities along group lines. They will also learn about how ethnic inequality within countries can translate into global threats.
The course, taught jointly by Prof. Loury and Dr. Agupusi, consists of two parts: (i) theoretical lectures on key texts which examine methodological issues that naturally arise in the study of ethnic inequality; and (ii) empirical case studies focused on ethnic inequality in specific countries. The interdisciplinary character of the course is reflected in the fact that Professor Loury is a quantitative social scientist while Dr. Agupusi offers qualitative expertise in development studies with particular emphasis on the global south. Loury will take responsibility for the theoretical lectures; Agupusi will lead exploration of case studies. Both will participate fully in class discussions. This collaboration will equip students with a rigorous intellectual framework for exploring ethnic inequality in such countries as Nigeria, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, India, Colombia, the USA, Brazil, Israel/Palestine, South Africa, and Sudan.
(Syllabus)
Participatory Development (undergraduate)
Overview
Participatory Development (PD) is an alternative holistic approach to development that emerges from the critique of what is viewed as a narrow top-down hegemonic developmental model. It involves orientation and practices of developmental actors in relationship with local communities. PD is an inclusive process that promotes active participation by local community members in the decision-making processes that directly affect them. This approach encourages self-reliance, which gives communities feelings of ownership that come from shared responsibilities and accrued benefits. PD encompasses a confluence of political, social and economic aspects of development. Hence, the theoretical approach to PD spans various perspectives and includes diverse institutions, social movements, environmentalism, critical pedagogy, and political movements. The philosophy of PD has changed the thinking and practice of development.
(Syllabus)
Skills for Development Practitioners (Short course)
Overview
This course is designed to familiarize and engage students with the necessary knowledge and skills as a development practitioner. The aim is to prepare students who might like to build a career as development practitioners in organizations such as local and international NGOs and civil and public services. With the understanding that students are involved with a lot of theoretical and academic work, this short course aims to equip students with practical tools that will be needed in the real world to complement their academic knowledge. The questions this course set to address include:
• What does a development practitioner do?
• What are the primary requirements from development organizations?
The answer to these questions will enable students to understand the type of skills that would be required from them and this course will prepare students for those core essential skills.
(Syllabus)
Seminars
Development skills (masters students)
Development Research Methods (masters students)
Overview
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to introduce contemporary development issues in Africa. Drawing on literatures from political sciences, economics, sociology and history, it explores the challenges of development in the continent since independence, as well as investigates the influences of governance, institutions, conflicts and external forces in Africa’s development trajectories. This is an applied course that would utilize both theoretical and policy analytical approaches to examine the political and socioeconomic dynamism in contemporary Africa.
This course is guided by questions, such as: Why have most African countries remained underdeveloped, poor and susceptible to conflicts (many of which seem intractable)? What are the past and current roles of the global ‘West’ in Africa? What are the implications of current democratization and growth trends in Africa? To answer these questions we will explore various political, economic and sociological theories, as well as show historical evidences of such theories, using them as tools to study individual countries as cases for the course. The aim is to present African socio-political and economy experiences through cross-country variations so that students will be equipped with a set of theoretical and analytical tools that will enable them understand development trajectories in Africa.
(Syllabus)
Ethnicity and Inequality in Global Perspectives (undergraduate and masters students)
Overview
This interdisciplinary lecture course draws on literature in sociology, politics, economics, international relations, and development studies to critically examine the institutions, beliefs and practices that engender ethnic inequality throughout the world. Students will gain an understanding of how ethnicity, identity and religion interact with the institutions of modern societies to produce sustained social and economic disparities along group lines. They will also learn about how ethnic inequality within countries can translate into global threats.
The course, taught jointly by Prof. Loury and Dr. Agupusi, consists of two parts: (i) theoretical lectures on key texts which examine methodological issues that naturally arise in the study of ethnic inequality; and (ii) empirical case studies focused on ethnic inequality in specific countries. The interdisciplinary character of the course is reflected in the fact that Professor Loury is a quantitative social scientist while Dr. Agupusi offers qualitative expertise in development studies with particular emphasis on the global south. Loury will take responsibility for the theoretical lectures; Agupusi will lead exploration of case studies. Both will participate fully in class discussions. This collaboration will equip students with a rigorous intellectual framework for exploring ethnic inequality in such countries as Nigeria, Rwanda, Northern Ireland, India, Colombia, the USA, Brazil, Israel/Palestine, South Africa, and Sudan.
(Syllabus)
Participatory Development (undergraduate)
Overview
Participatory Development (PD) is an alternative holistic approach to development that emerges from the critique of what is viewed as a narrow top-down hegemonic developmental model. It involves orientation and practices of developmental actors in relationship with local communities. PD is an inclusive process that promotes active participation by local community members in the decision-making processes that directly affect them. This approach encourages self-reliance, which gives communities feelings of ownership that come from shared responsibilities and accrued benefits. PD encompasses a confluence of political, social and economic aspects of development. Hence, the theoretical approach to PD spans various perspectives and includes diverse institutions, social movements, environmentalism, critical pedagogy, and political movements. The philosophy of PD has changed the thinking and practice of development.
(Syllabus)
Skills for Development Practitioners (Short course)
Overview
This course is designed to familiarize and engage students with the necessary knowledge and skills as a development practitioner. The aim is to prepare students who might like to build a career as development practitioners in organizations such as local and international NGOs and civil and public services. With the understanding that students are involved with a lot of theoretical and academic work, this short course aims to equip students with practical tools that will be needed in the real world to complement their academic knowledge. The questions this course set to address include:
• What does a development practitioner do?
• What are the primary requirements from development organizations?
The answer to these questions will enable students to understand the type of skills that would be required from them and this course will prepare students for those core essential skills.
(Syllabus)
Seminars
Development skills (masters students)
Development Research Methods (masters students)