SOCL 3016. Sociology of Africa: 2009
Lecturer: Professor Roger Southall
University of the Witwatersrand
Johannesburg, South Africa
Roger.Southall@wits.ac.za
Telephone:
27 11 717 4460
This course offers a broad survey of social, political and economic change in contemporary Africa against the background of shifting theoretical approaches to development. The reading list offers a selection of readings whose intent is to provide an overview of that experience, or more particularly (but not exclusively) Sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, the emphasis is upon what is often referred to as ‘tropical Africa’, that is, (largely) excluding South Africa (with which you should be more familiar and whose historical trajectory has in any case been somewhat different). The readings rely heavily upon ‘texts’ which have stood the test of time. But this is an arbitrary selection: the potential reading matter is vast, so do not ignore the holdings of the library. Journals which you can use to good effect include: African Affairs, The Journal of Modern African Studies, Journal of African History, Journal of Contemporary African Studies, and Review of African Political Economy. In addition, do not ignore the ‘annuals’ such as Africa South of the Sahara and Africa Contemporary Record.
A separate paper listing the requirements and modes of assessment of the course will be distributed separately.
Week One: Imperialism, Africa and the Modern World
Reading Pack:
Wallerstein, I. (1976) The Three Stages of African Involvement in the World Economy. In Peter Gutkind and Immanuel Wallerstein (eds) The Political Economy of Contemporary Africa. (Beverley Hills and London: Sage). 1.
Ferguson, N. (2004) Introduction, in his Empire: How Britain made the Modern World. London. Penguin. 2
Feguson, N. (2007) Empires and Races, in his The War of the World; Twentieth Century Conflict and the Descent of the West. London. Penguin. 3
Frank, A.G. (1979) Imperialism and the Transformation of Modes of Production in Asia, Africa and Latin America, 1870-1930 in his Dependent Accumulation and Underdevelopment. New York and London. Monthly Review Press. 4
Other:
Markowitz, IL. (1977) Africa’s Dual Heritage: Imperialism and PreColonial Greatness, in his Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall).
Freund, B. (1984) Africanist History and the History of Africa; and, Material and Cultural Development in Africa before the Nineteenth Century. Both in his The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society since 1800 (Basingstoke and London: MacMillan).
Week Two: Colonialism in Africa
Reading Pack:
Freund, B. (1984) The Material Basis of Colonial Society, 1900-1940. Both in his The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society since 1800 (Basingstoke and London: MacMillan). 5
Markowitz, IL. (1977), The Historical Impact of Colonialism and Imperialism. In his Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall). 6
Other:
Gordon, A. (1996) Population Growth and Urbanization, in April Gordon and Donald Gordon (Eds) Understanding Contemporary Africa. (Boulder, London: Lynne Rienner).
Goldthorpe, JE. (1996) The Colonial Episode and the Race Question. In his The Sociology of Post-Colonial Societies, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 17-44.
Amin, S. 1972. Underdevelopment and Dependence in Black Africa: Origins and Contemporary Forms. The Journal of Modern African Studies, X, 4: 502-24. (Reading pack item 17).
Crowder, M. (1968) The Economic Impact of Colonial Rule. In his West Africa under Colonial Rule. (London. Hutchinson).
Curtin P, Feierman S, Thompson L and Vansina J (1981) The Colonial Economy in their African History (London: Longman).
Week Three: Nationalism in Africa
Reading Pack:
Markowitz, IL. (1977), The Struggle for Independence: The Dynamics of Nationalism. In his Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall). 7
Freund, B. (1984) The Decolonisation of Africa, 1940-1960. In his The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society since 1800 (Basingstoke and London: MacMillan). 8
Smith, A. (1983) Nationalism in Africa. In his State and Nation in the Third World: The Western State and African Nationalism. (Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk: Wheatsheaf Books). 9
Other:
Clapham, C. 1985. The Colonial State and its Demise, Third World Politics: An Introduction. (Beckenham Kent: Croom Helm).
Tordoff, W. (1993) Nationalism and the Transfer of Power. In his Government and Politics in Africa. Basingstoke: MacMillan).
Week Four: Social Change in Africa: Education, Urbanisation, Labour and Religion
Curtin P, Feierman S, Thompson L and Vansina J (1981) Social Change in the Colonial Era. In their African History (London: Longman). 10
Markowitz, IL. (1977), The Consolidation of Power: African Labor, Peasants and Farmers. In his Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall). 11
Crowder, M. (1968) Islam and Christianity; and Western Education. In his West Africa under Colonial Rule. (London. Hutchinson). 12
Other:
Moyo, A. (1996) Religion in Africa. In April Gordon and Donald Gordon (Eds) Understanding Contemporary Africa. (Boulder, London: Lynne Riener)
Arrighi. G. (1973) Labor Supplies in Historical Perspective: A Study of the Proletarianization of the African Peasantry in Rhodesia. In Giovanni Arrighi and John Saul, Essays on the Political Economy of Africa. (New York: Monthly Review Press).
Cohen, R. (1976) From Peasants to Workers in Africa, in Peter Gutkind and Immanuel Wallerstein (Eds), The Political Economy of Contemporary Africa. (Beverley Hills and London: Sage).
Week Five: The Modernization and Development of Africa?
Willis, K. (2005) Introduction. In her Theories and Practices of Development. Abingdon. Routledge. 13
Goldthorpe, J. (1996) The Social Sciences and the ‘Third World’. In his The Sociology of Post-Colonial Societies. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 14
Kilson, M. (1963) African Political Change and the Modernization Process, The Journal of Modern African Studies. 1, 4: 425-440 15
Other:
Apter, D. (1965) The Politics of Modernization. Chicago. Chicago University Press.
Martinussen, J. (1997) Political Development and State Building. In his Society, State and Market. South Africa. HSRC Press.
Week Six: The Underdevelopment of Africa?
Leys, C. (1975) Underdevelopment and Neo-Colonialism. In his Underdevelopment in Kenya: The Political Economy of Neo-Colonialism. London. Heinemann Educational Books. 16
Amin, S. 1972. Underdevelopment and Dependence in Black Africa: Origins and Contemporary Forms. The Journal of Modern African Studies, X, 4: 502-24. 17
Leys, C. (1996) Underdevelopment and Dependency: Critical Notes. In his The Rise and Fall of Development Theory. London. James Currey. 18
Other:
Rodney, W. (1972) How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. London. Bogle-L-Ouverture Publications.
Willis, K. (2005) Structuralism, Neo-Marxism and Socialism. In her Theories and Practices of Development. Abingdon. Routledge.
Week Seven: Political Parties and the Military in Africa
Tordoff, W. (1993) Political Parties; and The Military. In his Government and Politics in Africa. London. Macmillan. 19A and 19B
Markovitz. I. (1977) The Consolidation of Power: Definition of the Political Arena. Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall). 20
Mohamed Salih, M. (2003) Introduction: The Evolution of African Political Parties. In his edited African Political Parties: Evolution, Institutionalisation and Governance. London; Sterling, Virginia. Pluto Press. 21
Dooreenspleet, R. (2003) Political Parties, Party Systems and Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Mohamed Salih (Ed) African Political Parties: Evolution, Institutionalisation and Governance. London; Sterling, Virginia. Pluto Press. 22
Other:
Hodgkin, T. (1961) African Political Parties. Gloucester. Peter Smith.
Hyslop, J. (1999) Introduction. In his edited African Democracy in the Age of Globalisation. Johannesburg. Witwatersrand University Press.
Week Eight: Ethnicity and Class in Africa
Reading Pack:
Smith, A. (1983) Ethnicity and Class, in his State and Nation in the Third World: The Western State and African Nationalism. (Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk: Wheatsheaf Books). 23
Ake, C. (1978) The Class Struggle, in his Revolutionary Pressures in Africa (London: Zed Press) 24
Tordoff, W. (1993) State and Society, in his Government and Politics in Africa. Basingstoke: MacMillan). 25
Mamdani, M. (1996) Introduction. In his Citizen and Subject:Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism. (London: James Currey). 26
Other:
Markowitz, IL. (1977), The Consolidation of Power: Rise of the Organizational Bourgeoisie: The Consolidation of Power: African Business, in his Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall).
Leys, C. (1996) African Capitalists and Development, in his The Rise and Fall of Development Theory. (London: James Currey).
Mamdani, M. (1996) The Other Face of Tribalism: Peasant Movements in Equatorial Africa; and The Rural in the Urban: Migrant Workers in South Africa, in his Citizen and Subject:Contemporary Africa and the Legacy of Late Colonialism. (London: James Currey).
Salih, M. (2001) Ethnicity in Quasi-Polyarchies, in his African Democracies and African Politics. (London: Pluto Press).
Week Nine: The Post-Colonial State in Africa
Reading Pack:
Freund, B. (1984) Tropical Africa since Independence: Class, State and the Problem of Development. In his The Making of Contemporary Africa: The Development of African Society since 1800 (Basingstoke and London: MacMillan). 27
Markowitz, IL. (1977), The Consolidation of Power: Definition of the Political Arena. In his Power and Class in Africa (Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall). 20.
Gordon, G. (2007) African Politics, in April Gordon and Donald Gordon (Eds) Understanding Contemporary Africa. (Boulder, London: Lynne Rienner) 28
Other:
Clapham, C. 1985. The Third World State; Soldier and State; and The Revolutionary State, in his Third World Politics: An Introduction. (Beckenham Kent: Croom Helm).
Week Ten: Political Decay in Africa
Reading Pack:
Chabal P. and Daloz J-P. (1999) W(h)ither the State? and The Political Instrumentalization of Disorder. In their Africa Works: Disorder as Political Instrument. (Oxford: James Currey). 29A and 29B
Bayart J-F, Ellis, S and Hibou B (1999) From Kleptocracy to the Felonious State? In their The Criminalization of the State in Africa. Oxford. James Currey. 30
Ayittey, G. (1999) The Vampire State, in Africa in Chaos. New York. St. Martin’s Griffin. 31
Rose-Ackerman, S. (1999). Corruption and Politics. In her Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences and Reform. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press. 32
Week Eleven: Structural Adjustment and Political Conditionality
Reading Pack:
Delancey, V. (2007) The Economies in Africa. In April Gordon and Donald Gordon (Eds) Understanding Contemporary Africa. (Boulder, London: Lynne Rienner) 33
Williams, G. (1994) Why Structural Adjustment is Necessary and Why it Doesn’t Work, Review of African Political Economy, 21, 60. 34
Baylies, C. (1995) ‘Political Conditionality’ and Democratisation, Review of African Political Economy, 22,65. 35
Other:
Abrahamsen, R. (2000) New World Order, New Development Discourse; and The Democratisation of Poverty. In her Disciplining Democracy: Development Discourse and Good Governance in Africa. London. Zed Press.
Week Twelve: The Re-Democratisation of Africa?
Allen, C. (1995) Understanding African Politics, Review of African Political Economy, 22, 65. 36
Abrahamsen, R. (2000) Whose Democracy? In her Disciplining Democracy: Development Discourse and Good Governance in Africa. London. Zed Press. 37
Beetham, D. (1994) Conditions for Democratic Consolidation. Review of African Political Economy, 21, 60. 38
Other:
Daniel, J, Southall, R. and Szeftel, M. Voting for Democracy: Watershed Elections in Contemporary Anglophone Africa. Aldershot. Ashgate.
Saul, J. (2005) Liberal Democracy versus Popular Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa. In his The Next Liberation Struggle: Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy in Southern Africa. Pietermartizburg: UKZN Press.
Week Thirteen: Development Strategies and Prospects in Africa
Leys, C. (1996) Development Theory and the African Tragedy. In his The Rise and Fall of Development Theory. (London: James Currey). 39
Ake, C. (1978) The Dynamics of Social Forces: Capitalism or Socialism in Africa? In his Revolutionary Pressures in Africa. (London: Zed Press). 40
Southall R. (2009) A New Scramble? Continuities and Discontinuities with Formal Imperialism in Africa. In Roger Southall and Henning Melber (Eds) A New Scramble? Imperialism, Investment and Development in Africa. (forthcoming). 41
Other:
Hyden, G. (1985) No Short Cuts to Progress, in his No Short Cuts to Progress: African Development in Perspective. (London: Heineman).
Power M. and Mohan G, with Naidu S. (2008) The New Face of China-African Cooperation, Special Issue of the Review of African Political Economy, 35, 115.
Nyang’oro, J. (1996) Africa’s Environmental Problems, in April Gordon and Donald Gordon (Eds) Understanding Contemporary Africa. (Boulder, London: Lynne Rienner).
