THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

UGEC 2226 Discovering Africa: Environment, Society and Prospects

Contact Information

Dr. Lawal M. Marafa (Rm 238, Wong Foo Yuan Bldg, 39436471, Immarafa@cuhk.edu.hk)

Tutor:

Percy ZHOU, Zihang, Percy (Rm. 251, Sino Building, Tel. 39431385, percychou@link.cuhk.edu.hk)

Lecture Time and Location: Wednesday, 2:30 – 4:15pm, YIA 405

Course description

Popular representations of the African continent produced in global discussions are marked
by a stereotyped image of Africa, its culture, environment and development. The purpose of
this course is to critically examine the common framing of Africa as a continent of conflict,
disasters, poverty and a region that is perpetually in need of external intervention. In addition
to the myth that surrounds Africa, there is a growing dynamism of activities resulting into the
current interest on the continent. The course will present to students the context of Africa
relating to its geography, environment, culture as well as contemporary development issues
shaping the destiny of Africa. Through lectures, guest speakers, videos and possibly field
studies, students will be able to critically evaluate the stereotypical notion of Africa as a
continent rather than as a country as is quite often misconstrued. The course will provide an
intellectual platform to understand and analyze issues from a multi-disciplinary perspective
as they relate to Africa and humanity. The students will be able to interpret and explain in
broad terms, the contemporary position of Africa as it relates to other parts of the world with
special attention to its relationship with Asia and China in particular.

Course Objectives

 To provide a comprehensive knowledge base on the African continent

 Identify and study issues, problems and challenges related to Africa
 Provide a broad scope to allow students think and relate to Africa in respective
academic circles.

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Teaching and Learning Activities

 Lecture series of 3 units a week: This will provide the basic concepts and theoretical
basis for analysis of specific issues
 In-class forum/Guest speaker: Give the students opportunity to participate in
brainstorming and discussions on specific issues dealt with in the lectures
 Video watching: Students will view and learn to critically analyse and interpret real
situations
 Group discussion: Arouse students’ interest in keeping abreast with the current issues
relating to the course
 Blackboard: It will provide a forum for discussions, exchanges and updating of
information that is relevant to the teaching and learning process

Expected Learning Outcomes

Through a variety of teaching and learning activities, including lectures, video shows, forum
and group discussion on current issues, the student will be able to:

 acquire basic knowledge of the physical, environmental and cultural geography of the
African continent
 embark on intellectual dialogues and critically analyze the theoretical and practical
aspects of the people’s relationship with the African physical environment.
 comment academically on issues, problems and challenges related to Africa.
 demonstrate a greater understanding of Africa as a continent and its people;
 think critically and academically in approaching the discussions on African issues
 acquire the skills and capacity to provide necessary leadership and expertise to others
seeking knowledge of and involvement in Africa and African affairs.

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 Course syllabus and outline
Date Lecture: Remarks
Part 1 Physical and environmental aspects of African continent

Week 1  Introduction: Overview of Africa-

10/01/2024 the Place, People and Culture
Week 2  ABCDE (African biodiversity
17/01/2024 conservation, degradation and
extinction on Landscapes)
SDG 15 – Life on Land/SDG 2 – Zero
Hunger
Week 3  Rural and Urban Development in
24/01/2024 Africa
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and
Communities
Week 4  Disasters, poverty and livelihood Class activity: Video response
31/01/2024 SDG 1 – No Poverty (Foreign Aid/development)
Week 5  People-land relations Livelihood
07/02/2024
Week 6  QUIZ One MC Questions
14/02/2024
Part 2 Socio-Cultural aspects of Africa
Week 7  People – People Relationship: The
21/02/2024 Role of religion (Islam and
Christianity)

Week 8  From MDGs to SDGs: What’s in it

28/02/2024 for Africa?

Week 9  The Notion of Economic

06/03/2024 Transformation in Africa
Week 10  Africa’s Emerging economy
13/03/2024 SDG 11 – Partnerships for the Goals
Part 3 Contemporary and future trends

Week 11  Guest Speaker Ambassadors’ moments

20/03/2024
Week 12  Reading Week [China Africa]
27/03/2024
Week 13  China and Africa: Historical ties
03/04/2024 and Contemporary Issues
Week 14  Is Africa overpopulated?/Water Class Forum: Country Case
10/04/2024 resources/Food Study (Details will be given at a
security/Infrastructure later date)
Week 15  QUIZ Two MC/Short Questions
17/04/2024

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Assessment

No Final Examination

Type of Assessment Grade Remarks

Quiz One 30% MC questions
Class Activity/ 15% Response to Video
Reflection
Class Forum 25% Students group activities
Quiz Two 30% MC/Short questions

Required Readings

Alden, C. (2019). Emerging Powers and Africa: From Development to Geopolitics. IAI
Papers 19/23, November. 2019. Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI).

Alhaji Ahmadu Ibrahim. (2013). The Impact of Globalization on Africa. International

Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 3 No. 15; August 2013.

Andrews, N. (2009). Foreign aid and development in Africa: What the literature says and
what the reality is. Journal of African Studies and Development Vol. 1(1) pp. 008-015.

Bolt, J. (nd). The Partitioning of Africa. The History of African Development.

Goebel, A. (2007). Sustainable urban development? Low-cost housing challenges in South

Africa. Habitat International 31, 291–302.

Ikejiaku, Brian-Vincent. (2009). The Relationship between Poverty, Conflict and

Development. Sustainable Development. Vol. 2. No. 1. P. 15 – 28.

Kehl, J. R. (2007). Emerging markets in Africa. African Journal of Political Science and
International Relations Vol. 1 (1), pp. 001-008.

Key Elements of Africa’s Geographic Landscape and Climate Patterns. The Saylor
Foundation. Saylor URL: www.saylor.org/hist252.

Khushbu Prasad1 and Vivek Vatsal. (2013). Impact of Globalization and sustainability in
Africa. Global Journal of Management and Business Studies. Volume 3, Number 8 (2013),
pp. 923-428.

King, A. and C. Ramlogan-Dobson. (2015). Is Africa Actually Developing? World

Development. Vol. 66, pp. 598–613, 2015.

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Large, Daniel. (2008). Beyond ‘Dragon in the Bush’: The study of China – Africa relations.
African Affairs, p. 45 – 61.

Loison, S. A. (2015). Rural Livelihood Diversification in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Literature

Review. The Journal of Development Studies, 2015 Vol. 51, No. 9, 1125–1138.

Millar, A. E. and Rietveld, M. (Nd). Natural Resources: A Blessing or a Curse? The History
of African Development www.aehnetwork.org/textbook/. 15 Pages.

Susan Parnell and Ruwani Walawege. (2011). Sub-Saharan African urbanisation and global
environmental change. Global Environmental Change. 21S (2011) S12–S20.

The Physical Environment of West Africa. Pages 15 – 43.

Thompson, D. (2005). China’s Emerging Interests in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges

for Africa and the United States. African Renaissance Journal, pp 20-29.

Additional Reading Materials

Alan de Brauw, Valerie Mueller, Hak Lim Lee (2014). The Role of Rural–
Urban Migration in the Structural Transformation of Sub-Saharan Africa.
World Development, Volume 63, 33-42.

Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitch (1991). The Process of Urbanization in Africa (From the

Origins to the Beginning of Independence). African Studies Review, Volume 34 / Issue 01,
1-98.

Grove, A. T. (1993). The changing geography of Africa. 2nd Ed. Oxford: Oxford
University Press. Pages 1 – 52; 124 – 144.

Sundaram, J. K., Schwank, O. and R. von Arnim (2011). Globalization and development in
sub-Saharan Africa. DESA Working Paper No. 102.

Teame Ghirmay (2004). Financial Development and Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan

African Countries: Evidence from Time Series Analysis. African Development Review.
Volume 17, Issue 3, 415–432.

Tull, D.M., 2006, ‘China’s Engagement in Africa: Scope, Significance and Consequences’,
Journal of Modern African Studies, 44, 3, pp. 459-79.

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Grade Descriptors: UGEC2426

Grade Descriptions

A Outstanding performance on all learning outcomes including knowledge in basic

concept of sustainable development. Brilliant work and overall understanding of
conflicting views and solutions that could be offered. Portrays insight and ability to
further synthesize and interpret material beyond the realm of the conventional
literature studied.

A- Generally outstanding performance on almost all learning outcomes. Portrays the

ability to understand and apply theories learnt to the given task. Shows an ability to
express academic content with clarity citing relevant examples.

B+ Substantial performance on all learning outcomes. Demonstrating the ability to

show high performance on some aspects of the learning outcome particularly the
theoretical construct on which sustainable development focuses on.

B/B- Showing substantial performance on some learning outcomes with evidence of

familiarity of theories and issues covered in the course.

C+ Satisfactory performance on the majority of learning outcomes with evidence of

weaknesses in understanding theories and analysis.

C/C- Average performance and understanding of the majority of the learning outcomes.
Showing also, more evidence of weaknesses in a few learning outcomes.

D Barely satisfactory performance on a number of learning outcomes. Adequate

piece of work showing some structure of achieving the learning outcomes.

F Unsatisfactory performance on a number of learning outcomes. Failure to meet the

specified assessment requirements.

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Academic Honesty Guidelines

Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to
the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and
regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.

With each assignment, students will be required to submit a signed declaration that they are
aware of these policies, regulations, guidelines and procedures.

 In the case of group projects, all students of the same group should be asked to sign
the declaration, each of whom is responsible and liable to disciplinary actions should
there be any plagiarized contents in the group project, irrespective of whether he/she
has signed the declaration and whether he/she has contributed directly or indirectly to
the plagiarized contents.

 For assignments in the form of a computer-generated document that is principally

text-based and submitted via VeriGuide, the statement, in the form of a receipt, will
be issued by the system upon students’ uploading of the soft copy of the assignment.

Assignments without the properly signed declaration will not be graded by teachers.

Only the final version of the assignment should be submitted via VeriGuide.

The submission of a piece of work, or a part of a piece of work, for more than one purpose
(e.g. to satisfy the requirements in two different courses) without declaration to this effect
shall be regarded as having committed undeclared multiple submission. It is common and
acceptable to reuse a turn of phrase or a sentence or two from one’s own work; but wholesale
reuse is problematic. In any case, agreement from the course teacher(s) concerned should be
obtained prior to the submission of the piece of work.

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Honesty Declaration Form

I am submitting the assignment for:

□ an individual project or

□ a group project on behalf of all members of the group. It is hereby confirmed that the
submission is authorized by all members of the group, and all members of the group are
required to sign this declaration.

I/We declare that: (i) the assignment here submitted is original except for source material
explicitly acknowledged; (ii) the piece of work, or a part of the piece of work has not been
submitted for more than one purpose (e.g. to satisfy the requirements in two different
courses) without declaration; and (iii) the submitted soft copy with details listed in the
<Submission Details> is identical to the hard copy(ies), if any, which has(have) been / is(are)
going to be submitted.

I/We also acknowledge that I am/we are aware of University policy and regulations on
honesty in academic work, and of the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to
breaches of such policy and regulations, as contained in the University website
http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.

In the case of a group project, we are aware that each student is responsible and liable
to disciplinary actions should there be any plagiarized contents/undeclared multiple
submission in the group project, irrespective of whether he/she has signed the
declaration and whether he/she has contributed directly or indirectly to the problematic
contents.

It is also understood that assignments without a properly signed declaration by the student
concerned and in the case of a group project, by all members of the group concerned, will not
be graded by the teacher(s).

__________________________ __________________________

Signature(s) Date

__________________________ __________________________

Name(s) Student ID(s)

__________________________ __________________________

Course code Course title