PSCI 226
Aid, Arms, and Armies: The Politics of Intervention in Africa Spring 2023
Division II Difference, Power, and Equity
Cross-listed LEAD 226 / PSCI 226 / GBST 226
This is not the current course catalog

Comprised of nearly 50 countries and home to over 1 billion people, sub-Saharan Africa is remarkable in its diversity, particularly in regards to a number of outcomes central to the study of political science. It has also been a central site of numerous and profoundly impactful interventions for centuries, from the slave trade and colonialism to proxy wars and structural adjustment programs. This class investigates the many types of intervention–including military, humanitarian, and resource extraction–as well as identifying the diverse actors conducting these interventions, from missionaries to mercenaries, the World Bank to the world’s leading states (e.g. United States, China, France). We interrogate how these interventions have shaped a number of key political, economic, and social outcomes for African countries, highlighting both case studies as well as common themes. We will also keep an eye out for lessons learned and the future of international interventions–the politics of foreign investment, humanitarian assistance, and multilateral partnerships.