POS 3301 - African Political Systems and Institutions

Credits: 3 hrs

This course introduces students to African political systems and institutions based on kinship and on lineages (common ancestry) sanctioned by a founding myth which developed in the context of highly advanced African cultures, societies, states and civilizations throughout Africa from the 9th century B.C.E. to the 19th century A.D. These African political systems and institutions were based on an elaborate system of checks and balances with effective checks on the abuse of power by the leader (chief, king or emperor); the basic political unit was the village assembly, where major decisions concerning the society were adopted by majority rule. Starting in the 16th century, the Atlantic slave trade severely undermined, denatured and eventually destroyed these systems and institutions.