LSE-UCT July School 2013 Cape Town, South Africa, 1-12 July 2013
Contents Welcome to the LSE-UCT July School 1
Admission criteria and how to apply 4
Course descriptions 6
The programme 2
Proficiency in English 4
Contact hours and teaching methods 2
When to apply 4
LCS-EC201 After “The Hopeless Continent”: Challenges of African development since 2000 6
Assessment and certificates 2
How to apply 4
L CS-EH201 Africa and the Global Economy 1500-2000: an economic history 7
Fees and payments 5
L CS-MG201 Business Model Innovation at the Base of the Pyramid 8
Obtaining credit 2 Study facilities 2 Accommodation 3 Travel 3 Safety and personal security 3 Health care 3 Health and personal insurance 3 Visas 3
Tuition fees 5 Application fee 5 Tuition fee payment 5 Change of course 5 Refund policy 5 Bursaries 5
LCS-HY201 The Struggle for Freedom: SubSaharan politics from 1960 to the present 9 LCS-DV201 Poverty: What it causes, and what causes it 10 LCS-GV201 The State, Democracy and Development in Africa 11 LCS-GY201 Urban Modernities: Space, place and difference 12
Cultural and social events 3
About UCT and LSE UCT is South Africa’s oldest university, founded in 1829 as the South African College. Its campus is located in one of the most beautiful spots on the Cape Peninsula, on the slopes of Table Mountain. This vantage point offers panoramic views and easy access to the city of Cape Town itself. UCT is a university that prides itself not only on its undergraduate education, but also on its graduate programmes and the excellent research carried out by its faculties. During the period of apartheid UCT was designated as a “whites only” institution. However, today’s campus has been transformed to reflect the diversity of the entire South African
population in terms of students and academic and administrative staff. The London School of Economics and Political Science – LSE – is one of the foremost social science universities in the world. Founded in 1894, it is a specialist university with an international intake and a global reach. Its research and teaching span the full breadth of the social sciences and – from its location in the heart of London – LSE engages with the city, the UK and the world. 35 past of present world leaders have studied or taught at LSE, and sixteen Nobel prize winners in economics, peace and literature have been either LSE staff or students.
The London School of Economics and Political Science and the University of Cape Town became institutional partners in May 2010. Both institutions aim to form partnerships with a small number of high-quality universities across the world in order to broaden their academic reach by creating innovative opportunities for students and promoting world-class research dealing with problems and issues that are relevant on a national and international scale.
Welcome to the LSE-UCT July School The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) are pleased to offer the inaugural LSE-UCT July School in July 2013. This innovative programme provides students and professionals from across the globe an exciting new opportunity to study important social sciences issues relevant to Africa today. The programme is taught by outstanding faculty from the University of Cape Town and LSE, two of the world’s leading institutions for teaching and research. LSE-UCT July School participants select one course to study intensively over the two-week programme, typically combining four hours of lectures each morning with 90 minute seminars each afternoon – a total of 48 contact hours each week. Additional reading, selfstudy and informal group discussion is also expected. Each course is formally assessed, normally through a mid-term essay and final examination, with a certificate and transcript awarded to successful students. The questions raised, and issues dealt with, by the courses on this programme allow participants from
a wide range of backgrounds to come together to discuss issues of importance today, with academic rigour and the benefit of new scholarly insights. If you are interested in gaining a global perspective on the study of Africa, at the continent’s top university in a beautiful, cosmopolitan city, we hope that you will consider applying to the LSE-UCT July School, and look forward to meeting you in Cape Town in July 2013.
Professor Nan Yeld Dean, Centre for Higher Education Development, University of Cape Town
Professor Thandika Mkandawire Professor of African Development and Head of LSE African Initiative, London School of Economics and Political Science
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The programme 2
The LSE-UCT July School is an exciting new programme combining the strengths of LSE and the University of Cape Town in the social sciences. Each course is taught by a specialist in their field who holds a position at one of these worldclass institutions. Contact hours and teaching methods The LSE-UCT July School is an intensive, two week programme. Each course is full-time, and consists of a total of 48 contact hours between Monday and Friday over the two weeks. Usually this involves 36 hours of lectures, attended by all class participants and held each morning, and 12 hours of seminar classes in groups of up to 15, held each afternoon. However, other teaching methods appropriate to the individual courses may be used and schedules may vary. A course pack of reading material is provided to each participant at the start of the programme. Participants are advised to purchase any required textbooks prior to the start of the LSE-UCT July School. Due to the intensive, academic nature of the programme, participants are strongly suggested to
consult the preparatory and background reading section of the full course outlines, which are available online, and to prepare as appropriate for the rigorous academic programme.
Assessment and certificates All LSE-UCT July School courses are assessed and graded, and an LSE-UCT July School transcript and UCT Short Course certificate are provided to all participants who successfully complete their course. Courses are generally assessed on a midterm paper and a final examination, but other elements such as midterm quizzes, group projects and student presentations may also contribute. All courses feature a final examination, which is two hours in length and held on the final day of the programme, Friday 12 July. All participants are encouraged to take the
final examination, but those who choose not to are eligible to be awarded a Statement of Attendance provided they have attended at least 80 per cent of the taught sessions. Full details of the assessment criteria, marking schemes and deadlines will be provided at the start of the programme. Please see the information on individual courses for further information.
Obtaining credit The quality of the LSE-UCT July School courses is given the highest priority. Although no formal credit will be awarded by LSE or UCT for the programme in 2013, it is hoped that the certificate, transcript and course syllabus provided to successful participants will enable them to receive credit from some universities. It is strongly suggested that anyone considering this speak to their home university as early as possible. The LSE-UCT July School office will be very pleased to provide any further information which may be helpful to students or their institutions.
Study facilities During the LSE-UCT July School, participants will have access to study facilities at the University of Cape Town,
including the Chancellor Oppenheimer library, computer and printing facilities, web and Wi-Fi access. However, considering the intensive nature of the programme and the requirement for written papers and research, participants are strongly advised to bring their own laptop or other device with them. Students will be assisted to set up access to IT networks on their portable devices on arrival at UCT.
Accommodation Please note that accommodation is not included in the tuition fee. The LSE-UCT July School has arranged preferential booking rates at a variety of accommodation options. This allows participants to arrange accommodation which fits their personal requirements and budget. Information on a range of housing options is available on our website. Once participants have confirmed their registration on the LSE-UCT July School, they will have access to the accommodation booking service.
Travel Registration for the LSE-UCT July School takes place on the afternoon of Sunday 30 June on the UCT campus. Participants are advised to arrive in Cape Town by Saturday 29th June at the latest, and are advised to give themselves sufficient opportunity to acclimatise to the location and the time zone prior to starting their study. LSE-UCT July School representatives will be available at Cape Town International Airport between 8h00 and 17h00 on Friday 28 June and Saturday 29 June, to welcome participants to Cape Town, and to facilitate safe and reliable transport to their accommodation. Please note that participants arriving outside of these times will need to make their own transport arrangements. The LSE-UCT July School will end with examinations on the afternoon of Friday 12 July, and a farewell dinner that evening. Participants are advised to plan to leave Cape
Town no earlier than that evening, and should note that examinations cannot be rescheduled. As the LSE-UCT July School is an intensive academic programme, there are limited opportunities for sightseeing or tourist activities during the two weeks of the programme. Participants who are keen to see more of Cape Town, South Africa or other areas of the continent are strongly advised to schedule additional time into their trip to accommodate this outside the dates of the programme.
Safety and personal security Personal vigilance is key to remaining safe in South Africa. Like any big city throughout the world, Cape Town has its share of crime. The LSE-UCT July School staff will provide detailed safety advice before and after arrival in Cape Town, and all participants are urged to consider it carefully. It is the responsibility of all participants to keep the LSE-UCT July School Office and your family and friends at home informed of your address and contact details throughout the LSE-UCT July School. Please note that the LSE-UCT July School cannot be held responsible for theft, loss or injury to participants.
Health care South Africa has an excellent, modern health system and facilities and services meet high international standards. UCT maintains an on-campus health service, the Student Wellness Centre, for registered students where there is no fee for visits to nurse-practitioners, but students are charged for appointments with doctors and other specialists. Cape Town has a Mediterranean climate and is therefore not susceptible to tropical diseases. However, if you are planning to explore Africa more widely, please seek advice from a medical practitioner prior to travelling.
Health and personal insurance Please note that the LSE-UCT July School does not provide any health or personal insurance cover on your behalf, and no personal insurance cover is provided through any accommodation arranged. Please ensure that you have health and personal insurance cover that is sufficient for the whole period that you will be in South Africa, and sufficient to cover any theft or medical emergency which may arise. Copies of this insurance documentation may be lodged with the LSEUCT July School office on arrival, in case a need to consult them arises.
Visas Nationals of many countries are able to travel to South Africa for two weeks without a visa, or to apply for a tourist visa on arrival in the country. However, all participants are strongly advised to check their personal situation and to apply for any visa required in good time. Please note that, as you will be enrolled on the LSE-UCT July School and not as a degree-seeking student of the University of Cape Town, a student visa or study permit is not required.
Cultural and social events A programme of social and cultural events will be scheduled for the middle weekend of the programme, to allow participants to experience Cape Town and its environment in a range of different ways. A farewell dinner will be arranged for the final day of the programme, for all participants, staff, and faculty. Please see our website for updated details on the programme of cultural and social events as they are confirmed.
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Admission criteria 4
The LSE-UCT July School in Cape Town is a university-level programme, and accepts applications from university students, graduates and professionals from all over the world.
The application form requires personal details, information on current or previous university study and current employment information. Details of an academic referee must be provided but a written reference is not required with the application.
There is no minimum grade requirement for applications to the programme, but applicants should be prepared to actively participate in a rigorous, intensive academic programme run by two leading research and teaching universities.
A university transcript and, if relevant, proof of meeting the English language requirements must be uploaded as part of the application. A passport-style photograph and a copy of a passport will also be requested.
A limited number of places are available to students who will have completed high school by July 2013 and hold a confirmed offer of a university place.
Proficiency in English As the LSE-UCT July School is delivered in English, it is essential that all participants have a good standard of English language to enable them to fully participate in the programme and interact with colleagues. We appreciate that applicants may show their English ability in a range of ways, such as: • Being a speaker of English as their first language • Having studied at university level in English (not learning English language), as shown on a transcript. • Having studied English at school (eg, South African Matric Certificate, GCSE, iGCSE, O-Level, A-Level, International Baccalaureate) and received a good passing grade. • Having taken an approved English Language test and met the standard below. – National Benchmark Test in Academic Literacy (South Africa)- Proficient – IELTS – 6.5
– TOEFL (Internet based) – 100 points – TOEFL (Computer based) – 250 points – TOEFL (Paper based) – 600 points – Cambridge Advanced English (CAE) – Pass – Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) – Pass If you have any queries about whether your proof of English Language is suitable, please contact the LSE-UCT July School office.
When to apply Applications for the 2013 LSE-UCT July School will be accepted from January 2013. The deadline for applications to be received is 15 May 2013, and applications will only be considered after that date if places are available. Early application is strongly advised and a discount is available to any participants whose completed application is received before 31 March 2013.
How to apply All applications should be submitted through the online application form on the LSE-UCT July School website. Applicants must select only one course. Due to the intensive nature of the programme, it is not possible to take more than one course on the 2013 programme. An application fee is payable with each application, and is paid by credit/debit card through the secure online LSE eShop system.
If you have any difficulty in submitting your application through the online system, please contact the LSE-UCT July School office. Receipt will be acknowledged within five working days. A decision will normally be made on fully completed applications within ten working days, but at particularly busy times this timescale may be extended. Further information may be requested from the applicant and/ or academic referee as required.
Fees and payments Tuition fees The tuition fee for taking one course on the LSE-UCT July School is as below: • Standard rate: £1,200 • Student rate: £1,100 The student rate is available to current full-time university and high school students, and also to alumni of LSE and the University of Cape Town. A further £100 discount is available for all fully completed applications received by 31 March 2013. • Standard rate – Early applicants: £1,100 • Student rate – Early applicants: £1,000
usually four weeks from the offer, or the offered place may be made available to another applicant. These timescales may be shortened closer to the start of the LSE-UCT July School. Tuition fees are paid online by credit or debit card through the secure LSE eShop, which requires a validation code provided in the offer letter. It is possible for fees to be paid by a third party, or for an invoice to be arranged for an employer, university or scholarship provider to make a payment. Full receipts are provided for all payments. Under no circumstances will it be permitted for a participant to attend the LSE-UCT July School if their fees have not been paid in full in advance.
Please note that the tuition fee does not include the cost of accommodation or other living costs.
Change of course
Application fee
Any applicant or registered participant who wishes to change their course should submit their request by e-mail to the LSE-UCT July School office. Requests can only be considered subject to availability and if received on or before Friday 14 June.
A non-refundable £40 application fee applies to all applications, and is paid by credit/ debit card online through the secure LSE eShop system as part of the application process. Application fees must be paid before an application can be submitted. Applications cannot be processed without the fee having been received. The application fee is not refundable in the event of an unsuccessful application or a decision to withdraw or not accept an offered place.
Tuition fee payment Tuition fees must be paid in order to secure a place on the LSE-UCT July School. The payment must be received by the deadline given on the offer letter,
Refund policy If a fully registered participant chooses to withdraw from the LSE-UCT July School, they should request this by e-mail to the LSE-UCT July School office. Withdrawals are eligible for a partial refund in line with the following guidelines. • On or before Friday 31 May 2013: 95 per cent of tuition fees • On or before Friday 13 June 2013: 75 per cent of tuition fees • On or before Friday 27 June 2013: 50 per cent of tuition fees
• After Friday 27 June 2013: No refund Please note that the application fee is non-refundable, and no refunds can be issued against any additional costs incurred for travel, accommodation, changes in exchange rates, etc. In the unlikely event that an LSE-UCT July School course is cancelled, participants registered for that course will be offered a place on an alternative course within the 2013 LSE-UCT July School, or a full refund of their tuition fees. Registered participants will be informed as early as possible if a course is at risk of cancellation, and by 17 May 2013 at the latest
Bursaries A limited number of bursaries for African nationals are available for the LSE-UCT July School, to cover tuition fees, travel to Cape Town and/or living costs. In order to be eligible for the bursary, an application for the LSE-UCT July School must be submitted by the early application deadline, 31 March 2013. A separate bursary application must be completed. Bursaries will be distributed to the participants in financial need who best show their suitability for the LSE-UCT July School, how they will benefit from attending the programme, and how their attendance will yield broader benefit to their community.
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Course descriptions 6
LCS-EC201 After “The Hopeless Continent”: Challenges of African economic development since 2000 This course offers a retrospective and prospective view of economic development in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Although SSA countries are far from homogeneous, it is possible to identify common economic trends over the past few decades. After independence, most countries in Africa suffered serious relative economic decline, leading The Economist magazine in 2000 to dub Africa “the hopeless continent”. Much has changed since then, and many countries have experienced booming growth driven, in part, by rapidly growing investment in their abundant resource sectors. Of course, huge challenges exists; including widespread poverty and aid dependence, on-going conflict in some regions, and the stresses of providing infrastructure for burgeoning urban populations. The topics covered include a review of economic development strategies; the role of foreign trade and regional integration; the financing of development; the impact of conflict; poverty and human development; the impact of corruption; and agricultural and industrialisation strategies. The focus is applied and policy-oriented with extensive use made of illustrative country case studies. The course is aimed at economics students and graduates who wish to develop some background on the economies of SSA countries. It is also well-suited to non-economists who have some knowledge of African countries and a desire to build up their economic expertise.
About the instructors Professor Anthony Black is professor in the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town. He has published extensively on trade issues, regional integration, industrial policy and foreign direct investment in South Africa and the region. He has been a leading advisor to South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry and has acted as a consultant to the Government of Mozambique, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and many other organisations. Professor Mark Ellyne is Adjunct Associate Professor in the School of Economics at the University of Cape Town. He was senior economist in the Africa Department of the International Monetary Fund for 20 years, including as Resident Representative in Uganda and Zambia. He has served as a consultant to the Southern African Development Community on the issue of liberalising exchange controls in the region. His research interests include macroeconomic policy, monetary policy, and regional integration.
Professor Léonce Ndikumana is Professor of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amhurst. He served as Director of Operational Policies and Director of Research at the African Development Bank and Chief of Macroeconomic Analysis at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. His work is concerned with issues of external debt and capital flight, financial markets and growth, macroeconomic policies for growth and employment, and the economics of conflict and civil wars in Africa.
LCS-EH201 Africa and the Global Economy 1500-2000: An economic history
Recent research in African economic history has increasingly looked farther into Africa’s past to explain current economic outcomes, attempting to assess how the Atlantic slave trades, the shift to legitimate commerce, and colonialism have continued to affect African economies today. This course provides an introduction to African economic history, focusing particularly on its changing relationship to the global economy from the early modern period through the twentieth century. It will draw on the latest research in African economic history and students will discuss and debate different explanations of Africa’s relative poverty. Three key questions will be addressed: 1 – What were the key factors influencing Africa’s position in the world economy? 2 – How did Africans respond to
the opportunities and challenges offered by changes in the global economy? 3 – What impact did these changes have on economic growth and living standards in Africa and how can we measure this with the available evidence? In answering these questions, students will receive an introduction to the key themes in African economic history as well as to the methods and theories used by economic historians in researching the development of emerging economies over the long run. Comparative examples will be used to underline the common challenges faced by developing countries in an industrializing and globalizing world, and to examine why some parts of the developing world (eg, Asia) have succeeded in transitioning to modern economic growth and others have not.
About the instructor Dr Leigh A Gardner is Lecturer in Economic History at the LSE, and a Research Fellow in African Economic History at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. She completed her doctorate at the University of Oxford, and has previously taught at the University of Cape Town and worked as a researcher on the British Museum’s “Money in Africa” project. Her research focuses on the fiscal history of the British Empire, focusing on Africa and the colonial foundations of Africa’s economic performance.
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LCS-MG201 Business Model Innovation at the Base of the Pyramid
Over the past decade, tens of thousands of social enterprises, companies and NGOs have started serving people at the so-called economic base of the pyramid (BOP), people who live on a few dollars per day or less. These organizations range from service providers (in solar, mobile banking, clean water, health care, etc) to those providing integrated solutions (eg, job creation and training, micro-finance). When and how do these organizations create social value, in addition to being economically successful? Do they create positive or negative outcomes for the target group and for other groups in local communities? How can we design social enterprises, companies and NGOs that create social value for people, based on a real understanding of their needs, aspirations and dreams? The course begins with an understanding, anchored in anthropology and development, in the economic, social and political opportunities and constraints of people living at the BOP. Next we discuss key insights, concepts, theories, methodologies and tools for designing, implementing and scaling up organizations – companies, social enterprises, and NGOs – to maximize social outcomes while being economically successful. The course builds on the successful “business model innovation at the BOP” master’s courses at LSE. We also share insights from our Innovation CoCreation Lab. For instance, our research in Africa and India on which leadership styles, social networks, organisational learning and innovation mechanisms enable social outcomes (ie, when, how and why, and for whom?), and how this varies across different stages of organisational growth. We will share insights of research on actual social outcomes for target groups and other groups, what these effects are, positive
and negative, and what causes them. We will also share insights from our design and implementation workshops with our ecosystem of partners in Africa, South America, and Asia. While we will discuss numerous examples of organisational innovations at the BOP in Africa, Asia, and South America we will also focus on real issues in townships in Cape Town. The format is interactive lectures. However, we won’t just talk. Students will also train in new insights, concepts, theories, methodologies and tools by designing, in groups, new business models for one of the townships, aimed at maximising social goals while being economically successful. The course culminates in student groups presenting these new business models.
About the instructor Professor Harry Barkema is Professor of Management at LSE and founding director of LSE’s Innovation CoCreation Lab. The Lab generates and diffuses knowledge on organizations and their social impact at the economic base of the pyramid (BOP), and leads practice workshops with companies, social enterprises and NGOs in South America, Africa, and Asia. Harry has published dozens of articles in top management journals, was twice an associate editor of the leading empirical management journal (Academy of Management Journal), member of the Board of Governors of the main professional organization in Management (the Academy of Management) and has won numerous research prizes..
LCS-HY201 The Struggle for Freedom: Sub-Saharan politics from 1960 to the present
The course will range from c.1960 to the present and will focus on the Southern African region, with particular attention to South Africa, the most important country in the region, and neighbouring Namibia. Students will learn how the region moved from the era of colonialism and apartheid to that of independence and majority rule, and we will explore what that transition has meant. Though the orientation of the course will be primarily political, there will be scope for essays to be written on economic aspects of the region in this period.
The course will include some discussion of: the various forms of colonialism and apartheid in the region; the different liberation struggles; the outcomes of those struggles in the countries of the region; the transition from apartheid to democracy in Namibia and South Africa; South Africa and its relations with its neighbours after the transfer of power in 1994; the development of the Southern African Development Community and the challenges that have faced it and the region in recent decades; and the present political situation in South Africa and the region.
About the instructor Professor Chris Saunders is Emeritus Professor in the Department of Historical Studies at the University of Cape Town. He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Cape Town, and his doctorate at the University of Oxford then taught at UCT for many years. He is particularly interested in the recent political history of South Africa and its neighbours and has written widely on the history and historiography of southern Africa, including authoring The Making of the South African Past (1988) and South Africa: A Modern History (2000), and co-editing the recent Southern African Liberation Struggles (2012) He is an Associate of the Africa International Affairs Programme at LSE.
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LCS-DV201 Poverty: What it causes, and what causes it
This course is an interdisciplinary analysis of poverty in the developing world, where the focus is on poverty both as a dependent variable (what causes poverty) and an independent variable (what poverty causes). The course will draw from a variety of disciplines but will pay special attention to the political economy of poverty. The course pays particular attention to the work of the Nobel-prize winning development economist Amartya Sen and examines his three major contributions to the study of poverty: Firstly, his concept of capabilities, which changed the way people conceive of poverty both philosophically and practically; Secondly, his work on missing women, which examines the reasons behind the variance in sex ratios across the developing world; Finally, his work on famines, both as regards his theory of entitlements and the relationship between democracy and famines.
Beyond Sen’s work, we focus on new work in development economics over the past decade as exemplified by that of Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo. Much of our attention will be on understanding poverty at a micro household or individual level, as well as on how governments and other actors can reduce poverty. Thus we focus on the relationship between poverty and education, microinsurance and microcredit, and democratization. We also ask whether poverty is a cause of violence, a topic that is hotly debated within the current literature on civil wars. Finally, we conclude with a critical analysis of the Millennium Development Goals and prospects for poverty reduction in the 21st century.
About the instructor Dr Elliott Green is Lecturer in Development Studies in the Department of International Development at LSE. He holds degrees from Princeton University (BA) and LSE (MSc, PhD). He has been teaching in the Department of International Development at LSE since 2005. His research focuses on the political demography of modern Africa, with special attention to migration and urbanisation, and with empirical interest in Uganda, Tanzania and Botswana, among other countries. He is on the editorial boards of both Nations and Nationalism and the Journal of Modern African Studies, where he is Book Reviews Editor.
LCS-GV201 The State, Democracy and Development in Africa
The state in Africa experienced its heady expansion after independence, being seen then as the prime agent of nation-building, modernisation and economic development in the 1960s and 1970s, only to find itself vilified as a “lame leviathan”, ”vampire state”, ”clientelistic state”, ”neopatrimonial state”, “rentierstate”, “kleptocratic state” “swollen state” etc, which had overreached its ability to deliver on its promises. Retrenchment and “reigning in the state” were among some of the solutions proposed to address these problems. This was to be achieved through liberalisation, deregulation and privatisation which were expected to produce a “lean” state that would be supporting of the market. By the mid-1990s there was a realisation of the centrality of the state even for the success of liberalised markets. A new agenda for state reform thus was embarked upon to produce institutions that would support market reforms.
This course will revisit both the theoretical and empirical views behind the changing positions towards the state in Africa. Special attention will be paid to the many economic, institutional and political reforms that have been suggested to “fix” states in Africa. It will also examine some of the new demands for “developmental states” in Africa and the possibilities of such states. It will critically examine some of the institutional reforms that have been introduced in Africa.
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About the instructor Professor Thandika Mkandawire is Chair in African Development at LSE and former Director of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. He was previously Director of the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Development Research in Copenhagen and has taught at the Universities of Stockholm and Zimbabwe. He currently also holds the Olof Palme Professor for Peace at the Institute for Future Studies in Stockholm. His research interests are mostly in development theory, economic policy and development and social policy in developing countries, and political economy of development in Africa.
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LCS-GY201 Urban Modernities: Space, place and difference
This course considers the challenges and opportunities of contemporary urbanism, utilising insights from geography, anthropology and history. We explore urban modernities, looking at the role of global processes and connections in the making of the modern TransAtlantic world, and their impact on the local practices and possibilities shaping neighbourhoods in Cape Town. The course begins with the “Black Atlantic”, tracing the impact of the ocean circuits in the Atlantic. We consider the transformation of Euro-American cities, the incredible sense of change in 19th century cities, and the ideas of social and spatial change of the early 20th century. We reveal the both similar and different sorts of urban realities in African colonial cities, and the different ways in which African urbanism has emerged across postcolonial contexts.
The course then focuses on the making and unmaking of urban segregation in South Africa and Cape Town, using lectures and fieldtrips to consider township urbanisms in Langa, the problems and possibilities of memory in the District Six Museum, and the dynamics surrounding queer life in today’s Cape Town. The course concludes by considering the pitfalls and possibilities of rethinking urban modernities specifically from Cape Town, the confluence of the Black Atlantic and the Indian Ocean, and of seeing South African cities not just as sites of possibility but also as ruins of various sorts.
About the instructors Professor Sue Parnell is Professor in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences and the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape Town. She has previously taught at Wits University and SOAS (London). She is an urban geographer focused on contemporary urban policy research – local government, poverty reduction and urban environmental justice as well as more general debates about formality and informality at the city scale. Dr Bradley Rink is a lecturer in the UCT Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences and the African Climate and Development Initiative. He is a human geographer with interests in the creation and performance of urban space, urban culture(s), and the complex interactions that occur in that heterogeneous environment. His current research interests focus on urban life, culture and the related issue of quartering. Dr Sharad Chari is associate Professor in the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa and the Anthropology Department, University of the Witwatersrand. He was Lecturer in Human Geography at LSE from 2004 to 2012. He works between anthropology, history and critical geography, on the political economy and cultural politics of contemporary India and South Africa. He has conducted long-term fieldwork in Tamilnadu in India, and in Durban, South Africa.
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LSE-UCT July School Office, TW3.400, LSE, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, United Kingdom, Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 6455 LSE-UCT July School Office, Room 3.24, Kramer Building, UCT Rondebosch, 7700, South Africa, Tel: +27 (0) 21 650 2887
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