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African Agency and the International Order This course investigates how African states and regional actors have shaped, navigated, and contested the international order from the early modern era to the present, highlighting the tension between structural constraints and diverse forms of agency. It examines colonial encounters, decolonization, Pan‑Africanism, Cold War diplomacy, the Non‑Aligned Movement, the African Union, South–South cooperation, and contemporary geopolitics of war, peace, climate diplomacy, resources, demography, and migration. Attention is paid to the analytic challenges of treating “African agency” in the singular versus the plural, from Common African Positions in multilateral forums to state‑level strategies. Integrating historical context, theory, and current policy debates, the course features selected guest speakers and student‑led discussions. Students will develop the ability to critically assess African actors’ contributions to global governance and to articulate empirically grounded analyses of Africa’s evolving role in a multipolar world.