Friedrich Schiller University Jena
Jena
African regional integration cannot be divorced from the need to eradicate colonialism and neocolonialism. Since the 1960s, the countries common historical experience of colonialism, exploitation, and renaissance have propelled the institutional developments observed today. However, this evolution has not been without struggles. Since the 1960s, when its formal institutionalisation began, African regionalism became known for its contentious and innovative politics. How this system evolved and functions are ripe material for those interested in the politics of one of the world’s most dynamic regions. This seminar introduces students to broad themes in the evolution of African regionalism. Using scholarly articles and select primary texts, the seminar will highlight key debates and issues in African region-building. Attention will be given to founding political thought, competing visions of regional politics and institutional designs. It will compare the institutional designs of the Organisation of African Unity and the African Union, and examine the implications of overlapping regionalism for continental integration. The seminar will use a comparative approach to trace continuities and changes in political thought, institutions, and debates as part of the OAU transition to the AU. By the end of the seminar, students should be familiar with the key founding debates, comparative organisational designs, and the major factors that are shaping the continuous evolution of African regionalism. Seminar at the Institute of Political Science
