4.0

credits

Average Course Rating

From the anarchic capitalism of failed states to the protectionist policies of ‘developmental’ regimes, no other world region provides local entrepreneurs with starker contrasts than Sub-Saharan Africa. This course offers an introduction to the political economy of enterprise and entrepreneurship on the African continent. Its goal is to equip students with the tools necessary to analyze the reciprocal relationship of business and politics in Africa – how different kinds of economic activity both facilitate and are facilitated by certain forms of political organization – while enabling students to apply these concepts to practical problems in the areas of commerce, development, and diplomacy. The course will blend a review of the ‘grand theories’ of African political economy – (neo)liberalism, (neo)patrimonialism, and ‘developmental’ perspectives – with detailed case studies of specific industries, firms, and regulatory frameworks. For maximum relevance, lectures and class discussion will be supplemented by conversations with practitioners from DC-based risk and investment firms, think tanks, and business associations. <a href="http://bit.ly/1bebp5s" target="_blank">Click here to see evaluations, syllabi, and faculty bios</a>