Monash University Handbook 2010 Undergraduate - Unit

Synopsis

In March 2004 the African Parliament was formally constituted - the first such pan continental parliament to be so formed. The path from colonies to independent states seeking to control their own destinies within the modern post-World War 2 international context has been a long and challenging one. Tracing developments from colonial regimes through the first independent states to the modern African states, we will see how men and women, political and economic elites, peasants and workers, religious and cultural leaders endeavoured to create new forms of meaning and power. Central themes concern the characteristics of African states, relationships between states, political parties and a growing civil society, developmental paths and the relationships between African states, their subjects and citizens and the complex cross-currents of wider international worlds from 1945 into the current period of globalization.

Objectives

Upon successful completion of this unit students will be able to demonstrate:

1. A knowledge of the main events, processes, issues, personalities, ideas and politics in the modern history of Africa
2. An understanding of the relationships between African states and societies and wider global politics and international relations
3. Intellectual familiarity with the main theoretical and conceptual issues relevant to the Unit: colonization, decolonization, ethnicity, tribalism, nationalism, liberation movements, one party states, typologies of different forms of states (egs crisis, client, failed, gatekeeper and rogue), development and under development, civil society, the Third World and key terms in international affairs: ie. globalization, unilateralism, bilateralism and multilateralism
4. An understanding of the main currents in wider political discourses, within Africa and internationally, concerning Africa in the modern world
5. An understanding of the main currents within academic debate, within Africa and internationally, concerning Africa in the modern world
6. Experience in working with and understanding the difference characteristics of various forms of evidence, both primary and secondary, documentary, oral and visual
7. Experience in conducting research using both primary and secondary sources
8. Improving oral, writing, presentation and debating styles
9. Students undertaking this unit at a third-year level will be expected to meet all these objective criteria at a higher level of demonstrable and proven competency than those completing the unit at a second-year level

Assessment

One primary source document analysis essay (900 words): 20%
one essay on scholarly debates (900 words): 20%
one general topic essay (1800 words): 40%
two (oral) tutorial presentations (450 words each): 20%

Contact hours

Two one-hour lectures and one one-hour tutorial per week for twelve weeks

This unit applies to the following area(s) of study

International studies

Prerequisites

INT1010 and INT1020

Prohibitions

INT2070, ISA2070