Economic Development of Africa

Economics 4388, Section 11726 Thomas R. DeGregori

9-10 AM, MWF Office: 209D M

Room 108M Office hrs. 10-11, MWF

Content ID: 281147 or by appointment

Homepage - www.uh.edu/~trdegreg Email: trdegreg@uh.edu

Required reading:

Understanding Contemporary African by April Gordon & Donald Gordon

Except Africa by Emily Roe

World Development Report 1999-2000 by The World Bank

The World Food Problem by Philip Foster & Howard Leathers

Green Land, Brown Land, Black Land by James C. McCann

The Lie of the Land by Melisa Leach Robin Mearns

Recommended reading:

Agenda for Africa's Economic Renewal by Benno Ndulu & Nicholoas Van DeWalle

African Development Bank (1998). The African Development Report (1998) ISBN 019‑829‑4212.

UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Economic Report On Africa 1999

The Third World Institute/New Internationalist. World Guide 1999‑2000.

New Internationalist. A‑Z of World Development

Assignment:

You are to write four short papers of (very) roughly seven to ten 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 (less than six pages) at the beginning and then try to make up for it by one long (20 pages or more) paper at the end. The papers due are approximately one every three 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 Culture, Geography & Politics to understand Africa

3) African Agriculture and Food production

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

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

2 & 3 are required for two of your four papers. 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!

ALL PAPERS HAVE TO INCLUDE CITED MATERIAL FROM THE ASSIGNED READINGS AND ALL ASSIGNED MATERIAL MUST BE USED ON AT LEAST ONE PAPER. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE ALLOWED THIS SEMESTER. FURTHER DETAILS WILL BE PROVIDED IN CLASS. YOU MAY USE OTHER RESEARCH MATERIAL AS WELL. USE OF INFORMATION FROM THE WWW IS ALSO REQUIRED ON AT LEAST ONE PAPER. HYPER LINKS TO SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SITES ARE PROVIDED ON MY HOME PAGE-http://www.uh.edu/~trdegreg. PLEASE GIVE AS COMPLETE A CITATION AS POSSIBLE INCLUDING THE URL. When you turn your last paper, include all previously turned in papers so that I may look at your total performance for the semester. In the unlikely event that you take an incomplete, you must include a copy of this syllabus with your papers. Further, in order for me to remove your incomplete and give you a course grade, it is absolutely essential that you turn in all papers at the same time including those that were turned in and graded during the regular semester.