Our Tradition in African Politics, African Political Economy & Pan-Africanism
Elmina Castle,UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ghana, West Africa
Teaching & Learning Africa
Teaching, researching and learning about Africa are all traditions in our program, at both the graduate and the undergraduate levels. Since the inception of the doctoral program in 1971, all student pursuing the Ph.D. benefit from a grounding in our Government and Politics of Modern Africa course. In addition to this and other courses in African politics, two of our ten subfields are related to the study of Africa: African politics and Pan-African politics. At the undergraduate level, Politics of Africa is a required core course for all majors. The results of our institutionalization of African politics is evident in dissertations and theses we have produced over the past 50 years. In addition to African and Pan-African politics, research in African political economy, African political theory and the politics of the African Diaspora have drawn much attention in our department over the years.
African Politics as a Subfield of Study
Our subfield of African politics explores the political systems, institutions, trends, achievements and challenges of the African continent. It examines the historical development of Africa’s politics; the social and economic bases of politics; political ideas, ideologies and institutions; prominent political issues; continental and international relations; and proposals and policies for confronting and transforming current realities. It has a explicit focus on Africa’s struggles for self-agency, liberation, and Pan African unity. Faculty, students, political leaders and public intellectuals from across the African continent have contributed to this study. Numerous research publications, and significant research grants have built out the focus on African politics. It seeks to understand Africa and its politics as both unique and familiar. It does not regard African politics as atavistic, anarchic versions of the politics of the Western world.
African Political Economy
The study of African political economy explores the historical origins and contemporary structures and features of the domestic and international political economies of Africa. It surveys contending theoretical perspectives regarding African political economy. It reviews the processes and outcomes of interactions among historic political economic formations and imperialist invasion. It examines current day African political economies on a comparative basis, focusing on the core characteristics of African states and economies, the manifestations and impacts of transnational economic dependency, and efforts to pursue national and continental self-agency and sustainable development.
Pan-Africanism & Pan-African Politics
Students joining our program are able to study the intellectual and political dynamics of Pan-Africanism, its organizational formations and practical linkages throughout the world. The central aim is to use the Pan-African experience as an instrument for understanding the international dimensions of Black cultural and political expressions in various parts of the African Diaspora. We approach Pan-Africanism from four (4) basic assumptions. First is the understanding that Pan-Africanism represents one of the oldest political expressions of African/African Diaspora liberation and self-determination. Second, Pan-Africanism has always served as a “global instrument” for African interaction with the major global forces of the modern era including slavery, imperialism, colonialism and contemporary globalization. Third, Pan-Africanism has become an arena where the major theoretical perspectives of the last two centuries, such as realism, Marxism, liberalism and nationalism, have been played out. Finally, the basic tenets of Pan-Africanism offer a great deal to the contemporary discourse on the local, regional, and international complexities confronting black communities throughout the African Diaspora. From this perspective, students in our department have the opportunity to examine the theoretical/organizational nexus as seen in thinkers and movements associated with themes such as maroon societies, the Pan-African Congress movement, The Garvey Movement, African Nationalism, modern Black Power, and contemporary globalization.
Selected Africa-Focused Political Science
Dissertation Research, 1979-2025
1979. Ebong Abasi. “Bureaucracy in development: The case of the Nigerian federal civil service.”
1980. Obong, Sunday Isong. “A study of higher education policies and their implementation by the Nigerian military regimes, 1966-1978.”
1981. Anderson Jr., Sanders. “The political socialization of black children: An analysis of the attitudes of children in three pan-African schools and a longitudinal study of the Attitudes of former pan-African students.” 1981.
1981. Cooper, Allen D. “United States economic power and political influence in Namibia.”
1981. Igboeli, Mark Obiakor. “Nigeria's African relations: A case study of the foreign policy of Nigeria
toward southern Africa, 1960-1979.”
1982. Adebo, Ademola E. “The political economy of the Lome convention and the relations between the European Economic Community, and Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific States.” 1982.
1982. Adedokun, Olasupo. “Franco-African relations and the use of intervension as an instrument of foreign policy objectives: A critical study of victims of French foreign Policy objectives.”
1983. Ide, Christopher. "Indigenisation Policy: The case of Nigeria, 1960-1980."
1983. Kugblenu, George Ofoe. "An analysis of elected major charges leveled against Ghana's first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, 1957-1966.
1983. "Ndue, Paul N. "The underdevelopment of Cameroon: A study in the Political economy of
neo-colonialism."
1983. Obiaga, Ndubisi. "The politics of humanitarian intervention: An analysis of the humanitarian organizations role in the Nigerian civil war, 1967-1970."
1983. Offor, Ejeh Charles. "National development and past colonial linkages in Mozambique and
Guinea Bissau: An exploratory study."
1985. Balogun, Anthony Angulu. "The role of the Nigerian bureaucracy in selected foreign policy decision, 1960-1982."
1985. Eke, Kennoye Kelvin. "Continuity and change: A comparative study of Nigeria's foreign policy under the military regimes, 1966-1979."
1985. Ukoh, Aniekut Bassey. "An analysis of the role of the organization of African unity in settlement of intra-regional conflict. The case study of the republic of Chad."
1985. Terfa, Solomon. "An analysis of antagonistic foreign policies and their contribution to the creation of displaced people in Africa, 1975-1982."
1986. Akinyele, Adekola Kolapo. "Nigeria and the organisation of african Unity (OAU), 1975-1985."
1986. Akowe, Augustine Odion. "The state, bureaucracy and the Nigerian enterprises promotion decrees in the 70's."
1986. Bitiyong, Billy Sabi. "The political economy of agricultural development in Nigeria: An
analysis of the food production programmes of the 1970's and 1980's."
1986. Brimah, King Farouk. "Military role in Ghana, 1972-1979: An analysis of the national Redemption council's agricultural, mining, forestry and manufacturing sectors programs on economic development."
1986. Okiyih, Dan Ndubeze. "Federalism in Nigeria: A study of the patterns of relationship between the central government and the regions during the first republic, 1960-1966."
1986. Solarin, Ibiyinka Oluwole. "Interventionism in Africa: An analytic comparative study of the politics of foreign intervention in Angola and Zaire."
1987. Awala, Samuel. "An examination of the role of the people's Republic of China in Southern
Africa: Angola, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, 1975-1985."
1987. Chang, David D. "Soviet/United States behavior in the horn of Africa, 1960-1982: The impact on the somali-Ethiopian Boundaries dispute."
1987. Ero, Morgan Uhuwa Z. "A critical analysis of the problems of the Economic community of West African States (ECOWAS) within the broader framework of continental integration."
1987. Inegbedion, Sidney E. "United States-Nigeria trade relations: A perspective of its politics and
economics, 1960-1984."
1987. Olofio, Ben O. "Single party and national intergration in Africa: The case of the MPR in Zaire."
1988. Neal, Anthony Tyrone. "Retrievalism Vs humanitarianism: An analysis of the U. S. response toward famine in Ethiopia during the first Reagan Administration."
1988. Orok, Micheal Etim. "An exploratory study of the Nigerian Agricultural Development under the military establishment 1966-1980."
1988. Utuk, Nseobong George. "The United States foreign aid in Africa countries: A comparative study of the socio-economic impact of U.S. Aid in Egypt, the Sudan and Zaire, 1965-1982."
1988. Steele, James D. "US Foreign policy response to Famine and hunger in Africa, 1981-1986."
1989. Elufiede, Babafemi O. "The Nigerian working class and politics: An analysis of trade unionism in Nigeria, 1940-1988."
1989. Engedayehu, Walle. "The politics of population resettlement in Ethiopia: An Exploratory study."
1989. Makgetlaneng, Sehlare. "The theoretical and ideological position on imperialism: The case South Africa."
1990. Thiab, Ahmad F. "Zionism and Apartheid: A comparative study of the ideologies of Israel and South Africa."
1991. Agbango, George Akeya. "The Impact of political instability on the economic development policies of Ghana (1960-1980) and its implications for sub-saharan Africa."
1991. Ferreira, Femi Franscisco. "The politics of regionalism: An analysis of national intergration problems in Nigeria, 1979-1988."
1991. Nwagboso, Emmanuel C. "The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the global debt crisis: A comparative analysis of brazil and Sierra Leone."
1992. Azubuike, Luke A. "The effects of Keynesian thought on income distribution policies in the 3rd world: The case study of the politics of income inequality in Nigeria."
1992. Furo, Tonyesima. "Federalism and the politics of revenue allocation in Nigeria: The Case of the oil producing areas of Rivers State."
1992. Okumu, Frederick Wafula. "Ethnic groups and U. S. foreign policy: An analysis of the African-American influence of Congressional foreign policy initiatives toward South Africa."
1993. Eligwe, Chigbo Sam. "The role of traditional leaders in the realities of local government politics of Nigeria: An attitudinal study."
1995. Oritsejafor, Emmanuel O. "A case study of the social and economic impact of structural adjustment on rural agricultural development in middle belt Nigeria."
1996. Ekwukocha, John I. "Party systems: An exploratory study of the impact of the two-party
framework on the political attitude and behavior of the electorate in the Nigerian third republic."
1996. Ibe, Gabriel Mathew C. "Nigeria's civil service under stress."
1997. Inyang, Ini George. "The political economy of international trade in hazardous and toxic wastes in West Africa: Theoretical and case analysis."
1997. Okiyih, Dan Ndubeze. "Federalism in Nigeria: A study of the patterns of relationship between the central government and the regions during the first republic, 1960-1966."
1997. Smith, Gejuanna A. "An African centered critique of European global environment and
development cultural politics: A political ecology case study of Madagasikara."
1998. Awomolo, Abiodun A. "The Political economy of market women in Western Nigeria."
1998. Ibe, Patrick I. "An analysis of the role of the Organization of African Unity ( OAU) in
conflict resolution and management in Africa."
1998. Ikpe, Ibanga E. "The Economic Community of West African African States (ECOWAS)
intervention in the Liberian civil war: Its implications for West Africa.
1998. Iruka, Eugene M. "Stepping stones and stumbling blocks on the path towards economic
integration in Africa."
1999. Dankwa, Boakye Dankwa. "Ghana under the structural adjustment program: The Impact of divestiture on indigenous private initiatives."
2001. Ayuk, Augustine E. "Center-periphery relations in the context of political reforms in Africa:
A study of Cameroon."
2001. Brown, Dorian L. "Survivors: An Analysis of relocated Somali women in Georgia."
2001. Jennings, Keith Lamar. "Promoting democracy in Africa: A critical assessment of the impact of United States democracy assistance programs on the democratic transition in the republic of Zambia, 1992-1997."
2001. Umoh, Bassey E. "The politics of exchange rate and its effect on trade and investment in Nigeria."
2002. Amakihe, Barth U. "The utility and role of traditional leaders in modern Nigeria: A comparative analysis of Imo and Kebbi states."
2002. Young, Kurt B. "Pan-African Nationalism in the Post-Cold War Era: A grassroot-based analysis of the state of Pan-Africanism."
2007. Iddi, Ziblim. "The impact of structural adjustment program on Ghana's small -scale
agricultural development: Focus on Food production in the Northern region."
2009. Ezeji-Okoye, Kentu. "Political, economic and cultural rationales for state creation in Nigeria."
2009. Harris, Kelly. "International finance capital and African development: 1980-2001."
2009. Lima-Neves, Terza Alice. "Sodade: Diasporic Cape Verdeans and development in their homeland."
2009. Nwobu, Ogugua E. "The role of the United States Congress in American Foreign policy toward South Africa: A case study of South African transition from Apartheid to democracy and congressional participation ( 1980-1995)."
2010. Abdi, Mohamed A. "Conflict resolution and nation-building in Somalia."
2010. Anucha, Dominic Uka. "The impact of constituent assemblies (1978-1995) on Nigerian constitutions and political evolution."
2010. Ojekwe, Anny Anthonia. "Peacekeeping in West Africa: An anlaysis of Nigeria's role, 1990-2005."
2011. Jones, Lee C. "The cold war and conflict in Angola and Ethiopia 1975-1991: A world system
theory comparison."
2011. Wheatley, Ricardo. "African international relations: A metafunctional approach."
2012. Smith, Howard C. "Public diplomacy: The United States Information Agency (USIA) utilizing
the voice of America as foreign policy in Ethiopia (1971-1991)."
2012. Obeng, Kwasi Kizito. "The long jewel: Assessing political solutions to the Nile River conflict by maneuvering around colonial resource agreements."
