Contact Hours
Each of the three courses provides a minimum of 34 contact hours comprising:
- 18 hours of lectures (9 lectures, each lasting 2 hours)
- 10 hours of seminar meetings (5 meetings, each lasting 2 hours)
- 6 hours of discussion group sessions (4 discussions, each lasting 1.5 hours)
Program Components
1. Courses
(A) International Economic Development in Africa (3 credits)
This course will give the general outlook of the structure and contribution of agriculture, which is still the backbone of many African economies, and discuss the nature and policies for reducing poverty and income distribution in the region. Then we discuss the roles and limitations of State, Market, NGOs, and Citizens in achieving economic development and poverty reduction. Challenges facing African countries in the highly globalized world will be discussed. General consideration will be given to the international flow of financial resources to finance development in Africa while focusing on its associated financial and debt crises. Various applications will be studied with the help of examples, seminars, and case studies.
Instructor: Dr. Alexander Bilson Darku is an Associate Professor of Economics and the Associate Director, Prentice Institute for Global Population, and the Economy, all at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. He is also an International Senior Fellow at the IEA. Dr. Darku received his PhD in Economics from McGill University, Montreal, Canada. He teaches and researches in the fields of Economic Development and Public Policy, International Economics, and Macroeconomics. Prior to his present position, Dr. Darku taught at McGill University and Concordia University, all in Montreal, Canada. He has served as visiting scholar at various universities and served as a consultant to the World Bank (Washington DC). In addition to numerous articles in international peer review journals, and background papers to policy documents at the World Bank, Dr. Darku is the author of 3 policy-oriented books.
(B) Politics and Democratic Governance in Africa (3 credits)
This course is designed to introduce students to the politics and democratic governance in Africa with reference to its unique trends and complexities. Students will learn about the changing dynamics of post-colonial African politics with a focus on the nation-state, political institutions, disruptions of democratic pathways by military regimes, and the resurgence of democratic/political reforms in the 1990s. Drawing on cases from other countries on the continent, the course will examine the core elements of democratic consolidation and governance practices on the continent. As part of the experiential learning aspect of the course, students will have the opportunity to interact with policy and political actors in Ghana.
Instructors:
- Dr. Felix Kumah-Abiwu
Dr. Felix Kumah-Abiwu is an Associate Professor at the Department of Africana Studies at Kent State University in the United States. He is also the Founding Director of the Center for African Studies at Kent State. He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from West Virginia University, USA. He also studied at Ohio University and the Legon Centre for International Affairs & Diplomacy, University of Ghana. His research and teaching focus on African politics, political leadership in Africa, foreign policy analysis, elections/democratic governance, and African security issues. In addition to his published book, scholarly book reviews, encyclopedia entries, and several book chapters, Dr. Kumah-Abiwu’s scholarly articles have appeared in reputable academic journals on African affairs.
- Dr. Samuel Kofi Darkwa
Dr. Samuel Kofi Darkwa is a Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Ghana (IEA-Ghana). He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from West Virginia University (WVU). He also has an MA in Linguistics and Literature from the University of Wisconsin, Madison as well as BA in Political Science from the University of Ghana, Legon. Samuel is multidisciplinary and very diverse. He was the former head of the Accounts Unit at the IEA-Ghana. He also served as intercollegiate policy debate coach for WVU. His research interest focuses on African politics, electoral politics and democratization, political communication, comparative foreign policy, and African Diaspora. Samuel’s research work has appeared in peer review journals. He has coauthored with colleagues and has also written several book chapters and scholarly book reviews. He has taught in institutions such as the University of Florida, Gainesville; University of Wisconsin, Madison; and WVU. He is a certified Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) Tester.
(C) Public Policy Analysis in Africa (3 credits)
This course focuses on introducing students to the literature on ideas in public policy and policy analysis in developing countries. The course covers important debates in the discipline and introduces students to public policy theories and how they can be used to examine and explain public policy making in these countries. The essence is to understand whether the policy making process in developing countries is the same or different from those in the developed world. In general, the course attempts to answer the question: is there a third world policy making process?
Students will obtain practical skills by understanding the environment in which public policy making takes place, the constraints policy actors face in this environment, and what needs to be done to improve policy making. Students gain experience by studying and writing on op-eds, speeches, or policy memorandums, as well as specific policy of their choice using the theories covered in class.
Instructor: Dr. Frank L. Ohemeng is an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science, Concordia University, where he teaches in the public policy and administration program. He obtained his PhD in Comparative Public Policy and Administration from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. His main research interests are in the areas of comparative public policy, public management, comparative public administration, public leadership, and development administration and management. He is currently researching on issues that look at traditional leaders as policy entrepreneurs, policy termination and dismantling in the policy making process, administrative reforms, human resources management in the public service, and the relationship between central and local governments.
2. Internship (2 credits)
There will be a five-week intensive internship during the second section of the program. The internship is the perfect way for students to gain practical and professional skills and work experience while enjoying the magic of Accra, Ghana. The purpose of the internship is to give students the opportunity to access high level policy making institutions in Ghana and obtain significant experience in the public policy making process in Africa with particular emphasis on Ghana. The internship also has a “policy analyst budding program” where each intern is paired with a policy maker who nurtures them in the policy making and governance process of the institution. This will enable students to understand a range of critical approaches to governance and development-related policy issues in Africa with particular focus on Ghana. The internship period is strategically tied with classroom meetings for the “Public Policy Analysis in Africa” course. This will allow the discussions and seminars component of the course to focus on the sharing of experiences of the interns from the various institutions. Students will intern at high level policy making institutions such as the Parliament of Ghana, various Ministries, the Bank of Ghana, the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Ghana Stock Exchange, and the Association of Ghana Industries.
The internship program will be managed by Dr. Darkwa, a Fellow at the IEA. Interns will be required to keep a weekly journal and meet with Dr. Darkwa for weekly debriefing and discussion. At the end of the internship, students will get together with Dr. Darkwa to reflect on their experiences. Each intern will submit an internship report at the end of the program.
Tuition Fees
The total tuition fees is US$3875. It covers the following:
- The three courses with all the materials and the internship placement.
- Various activities such as visits to Museums, Parliament, and many other policy making institutions.
- The cost of two field trips to historic and tourist locations