Tuesday, April 23, 2013

"Dead Aid" QQC pages 48-68

Please post your detailed QQC on the above pages here before class on Friday

Friday, April 19, 2013

In class assignment for Monday.

You are going to continue your analysis of articles written on aid to Africa during this period. You are urged to further study in-depth perspectives on foreign aid to Africa by reading the following articles: New York Times Review “Aid Can it Work” http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2006/oct/05/aid-can-it-work/?page=1 , the Wall Street Journal article “Why Foreign Aid is hurting Africa” http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123758895999200083.html and the Newsweek review “Helping Africa Save itself" http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/06/26/helping-africa-save-itself.html Once you have read the articles you are going to write your own news article on foreign aid that is basically a reaction paper that identifies the pundits (someone who offers to mass media his or her opinion or commentary on a particular subject area) with whom you agree most closely and why. This is now your time to show that you have an opinion on how aid to Africa should be approached and that you have understand the complexities of the practice for both those lending and those receiving the aid. The news article should also focus on your readings in “Dead Aid” and must be posted below before class on Wednesday.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

QQC for pages 29-47 of "Dead Aid"

After reading pages 29-47 of the book, post a detailed QQC (Quote, Question, Comment)on this material. This needs to be posted below by 8:00am Monday 4/22.

Monday, April 15, 2013

"Dead Aid" -Reading Questions pages 3-28-

After reading and annotating pages 3-28 of the book, please post responses to the following questions: 1. Describe “emergency aid” mentioned by Moyo and if she think that this is effective? 2. Explain how Moyo breaks down post-war aid into her “seven broad categories” Why does she think aid granted to Europe after WWII worked better there than it would in Africa today? 3. Why does Moyo think Africa was “ripe for aid” by the end of the 1950’s? 4. How did the US and USSR compete in Africa during the Cold War? Explain your answer. 5. According to “Dead Aid”, why did Britain and France start aiding African countries after the flood of independence on the continent in the 1950’s and 1960’s? 6. How did the 1973 oil embargo cause a deterioration of poor African economies? 7. What did the IMF do in the developing world in the 1980’s to stave off an economic meltdown brought on by the 1979 oil crisis? Do you think Moyo is suggesting that this helped the situation in Africa? Why or why not? 8. How did the end of the Cold War in the 1990’s affect the “aid agenda for the continent?”

Friday, March 15, 2013

Africa Rising -Project Resources-

Below are some readings that will assist you as you start deciding on how to focus your documentaries: Niger, Algeria, Libya, Egypt and Sudan: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21572380-africas-centre-remains-poor-and-conflict-ridden-activism-rising-courage-mon-brave Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21572384-governance-much-africa-visibly-improving-though-progress-uneven-bye-bye-big Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Sierra Leone: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21572378-why-fighting-across-much-continent-has-died-down-recent-years-tired-war Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21572383-commodities-are-potentially-biggest-threat-africas-future-wealth-beneath Ethiopia and Kenya: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21572379-ideological-competition-between-two-diametrically-opposed-economic-models-doing-it-my South Africa: http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21572381-who-making-right-call-about-africas-future-cheerleaders-and-naysayers Transport in Africa: http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21571920-africas-booming-economy-needs-modern-trade-routes-get-move Jihad in Africa: http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21570720-terrorism-algeria-and-war-mali-demonstrate-increasing-reach-islamist-extremism Africa: http://www.economist.com/news/21566362-africas-cities-take-centre-stage-huddled-masses Daily chart: http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/11/daily-chart-18 Africa's Economy - Bulging in the Middle: http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21564856-boom-sub-saharan-africa-attracting-business-talent-rich-world Africa's bond markets: http://www.economist.com/news/finance-and-economics/21572789-search-yield-has-taken-investors-exotic-territory-kings-wild

Monday, March 11, 2013

Zimbabwe debate

Robert Mugabe’s land acquisition program began in 1997 and many critics have noted how the policy coincided with the start of Zimbabwe’s economic collapse. The policy seems to be racist in that it has targeted mostly white Zimbabwean farms. Others have said that the program is justified in that it is returning land to previously disadvantaged Zimbabweans who were mostly disenfranchised from commercial agricultural activities under the British colonization of Rhodesia, and later the Ian Smith regime. This debate will focus on the following motion: Zanu (PF) is justified in forcibly removing “white” Zimbabwean’s from their farm land because of the history of the country before 1980. Groups will be chosen by your instructor and we will have a discussion on Tuesday to prepare for the debate. Debates will take part in the second part of class on Thursday March 14.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Zimbabwe Assignment

Much of Zimbabwe and the rest of the world believe that the future of Zimbabwe after the upcoming elections will be determined by which political party gains a simple majority once election ballots have been counted. It is widely understood the current ZANU (PF) and MDC power sharing of the government has not been successful and that the Mugabe lead ZANU (PF) needs to be defeated and needs to step aside in order for the country to start mending the economic and social issues that have arisen there in the 21st century. For this blog assignment you are required to compare Robert Mugabe with Morgan Tsvangirai to determine which political party and its leader are best suited to lead Zimbabwe after 2013. Don’t just assume that Mugabe is the tyrant that most consider him to be. You need to conduct research and then write about the leadership records of both Mugabe and Tsvangirai to correctly determine who might be most successful as a president going forward. You might find it useful to read about what Africans and others have said about the potential leadership qualities that Tsvangirai possesses. After writing about Mugabe and Tsvangirai you can also consider a third option for Zimbabwe. Should you choose a third option, it would need to be well researched and written using support from your research. This assignment needs to be completed and posted by Tuesday March 12th.