Economic Development of Africa

Economics 4388, Section 10062 Thomas R. DeGregori

10-11 AM, MWF Office: 209D M

Room 107M Office hrs. 11-1, MWF

Content ID: 004892 or by appointment

Email: trdegreg@uh.edu

Required reading:

The Process of Economic Development by James Cypher & James Dietz

History of Africa by Kevin Shillington*

The African Development Bank by E. Philip English & Harris Mule

The Geography of the Third World by J. P. Dickerson & al.

* If you have already taken or are taking a course in The History of Africa, please see me about a substitute reading assignment.

Recommended reading:

Human Development Report 1997

Assignment:

You are to write six short papers of (very) roughly four to six pages each. You have considerable latitude as to the length of each paper as long as the total for all six is about 30 to 40 pages and as long as you don't try to procrastinate by doing very short papers at the beginning and then try to make up for it by one long paper at the end. The papers due are approximately one every two weeks. with the last one due on the next to last day of class.

The suggested topics are:

1) What is economic development?

2) African History as basis for understanding Africa today

3) African Culture, Geography & Politics to understand Africa

4) African Economic Development since independence

5) Poverty in Africa and what can be done about it

6) Major issues in African Development: IMF, Debt etc.

7) Africa and the Asian Development model: Africa's future?

I, 5, 6 & 7 are required for four of your six papers. On any of these topics, you may do a joint paper with another class as long as both professors agree in advance. Good luck!

THERE WILL BE A FINAL EXAM FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT TURNED IN ALL THEIR PAPERS BY THE NEXT TO LAST DAY OF CLASS!