AFRICAN POLITICAL SYSTEMS & CONFLICTS

In this course, we will uncover why African politics today often faces instability, leadership struggles, and conflict. These patterns are shaped by colonial history, identity politics, and governance challenges. Using Alex Thomson’s core text, we’ll examine colonial legacies, ethnic and religious politics, one-party states, military regimes, democratization, and interstate and intrastate conflict. Each topic builds on the last, showing how historical forces still influence today’s political realities. By the end, you will see how these themes connect, helping you understand Africa’s political system and its conflicts in a deeper, holistic way.
During this course, you will study ten interconnected topics. First, we’ll examine colonial inheritance and state formation, where we’ll explore how colonial borders and structures still shape modern African states. Second, we’ll discuss ethnicity and identity politics, looking at how group identities shape political power. Third, we’ll explore how religion influences political mobilization. Fourth, we’ll cover the rise of one-party rule after independence. Fifth, we’ll examine military coups and authoritarian regimes. Sixth, we’ll chart the path to democratization. Seventh, we’ll study electoral politics and democratic consolidation. Eighth, we’ll analyze interstate conflicts and their causes. Ninth, we’ll look at intrastate conflicts and civil wars. Tenth, we’ll study how the African Union approaches conflict resolution. Each topic will build on the previous one, leading us to a full understanding of Africa’s political system and conflicts.