Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies programme.
Limited places are also open for exchange students.
Please note: this course takes place in The Hague. Traveling between University buildings from Leiden to The Hague may take about 45 minutes.
Description
This course will equip students with both a broad understanding of African economies and deeper knowledge of relevant dynamics in contemporary African political economies, particularly in the context of globalization and modernization.
The study of Africa’s diverse economies will offer students insights into the (contested) notion of ‘Africa’ as a continent and its relationship to globalization, examined through the lens of varied economic dynamics. In the neoliberal era of the late 20th century, Africa was often labelled a ‘dark’, ‘failed’, or ‘sinking’ continent, while more recently, the narrative of ‘Africa rising’ has gained traction. Regardless of these characterisations, Africa remains an ‘inconvenient continent’, where the enduring dominance of external economic interests intersects with both emerging and long-established economic spheres. The imbalance between the global North and South is neither ‘natural’ nor self-evident but rather the result of a long history of (post)colonial developments that have shaped African countries and societies in diverse—and sometimes unexpected—ways.
The course covers the following subjects: classic theories of economic growth; contemporary development models; poverty and inequality; population growth; urbanization; human capital; agricultural transformation and rural development; environment and development; balance of payments, debt, financial crises, and stabilization policies; foreign finance, investment, and aid; and fiscal policy. African case studies will be analysed in connection with these topics.
Course objectives
Students have:
Acquired an overview of the historical and contemporary economic developments and political economy dynamics in their chosen area and deepened their existing knowledge and understanding of different economic systems, economic institutions, economic processes and actors in the different regions / countries of the region, using the concepts acquired during the courses Principles of Economics and Foundations of Political Economy.
Been acquainted with academic debates on selected topics in the specific region.
Timetable
Visit MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Lectures
Lectures are held every week, with the exception of the midterm exam week. Weekly lectures will cover issues both inside and outside the readings.
Tutorials
Tutorials are held once every three weeks, with the exception of the midterm exam week. Attending all tutorial sessions is compulsory. If you are unable to attend a session, please inform your Tutorial-lecturer in advance. Being absent at more than one of the tutorial sessions will result in a lowering of your tutorial grade (40% of the end grade) with 1 point for each session missed after the first session. Please note that being absent at any tutorial session may have a negative impact on the grade of the assignment due for that particular tutorial session. This is at the discretion of the Tutorial-lecturer.
Assessment method
Assessment
Midterm Exam:
Written examination with short open questions and (up to) 50% multiple choice questions.Final Exam:
Written examination with short open questions and (up to) 50% multiple choice questions.
Weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Tutorials | 40% |
| Midterm Exam | 30% |
| Final Exam | 30% |
End Grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note of the following:
The end grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of Tutorial grade, Midterm Exam grade, and Final Exam grade.
The weighted average of the Midterm Exam grade and the Final Exam grade needs to be 5.5 or higher.
This means that failing Exam grades cannot be compensated with a high Tutorial grade.
Resit
If the end grade is insufficient (lower than a 6.0), or the weighted average of Midterm- and Final Exams is lower than 5.5, there is a possibility of retaking the full 60% of the exam material, replacing both the earlier Midterm- and Final Exam grades. No resit for the tutorial is possible.
The resit exam will consist in a oral exam with Q&A on the entire course. Please note that if the Resit Exam grade is lower than 5.5, you will not pass the course, regardless of the tutorial grade.
Retaking a passing grade
Please consult the Course and Examination Regulations 2025 – 2026.
Exam review and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organised.
Reading list
Main textbook: Célestin Monga and Justin Yifu Lin (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Africa and Economics, Volume 1 and Volume 2, Oxford University Press, 2014-2015 (available also online on the LU Library website).
Further reading material will be distrubted by the instructor during the course work.
Registration
- Enrolment through My Studymap is mandatory.
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Registration Exchange
For the registration of exchange students contact Humanities International Office.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Student Affairs Office for BA International Studies
Remarks
All other information.