Federalism & Decentralization: Evaluating Africa's Track Record
- 4.7
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Approx. 20 hours to complete
Course Summary
This course explores the different forms of decentralization in Africa and its impact on governance, service delivery, and development outcomes.Key Learning Points
- Understand the different forms of decentralization in Africa
- Analyze the impact of decentralization on governance and service delivery
- Evaluate the role of decentralization in promoting development outcomes
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the different forms of decentralization in Africa
- Analyze the impact of decentralization on governance and service delivery
- Evaluate the role of decentralization in promoting development outcomes
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of political science and governance
- Ability to analyze and evaluate policies
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online
- Self-paced
Similar Courses
- Decentralization and Local Governance
- Governance and Development in Africa
Related Education Paths
- Master of Public Administration (MPA) - Africa
- Master of International Development (MID) - Africa
- Certificate in African Studies
Notable People in This Field
- Professor of African Development, London School of Economics
- Nobel Laureate in Economics
Related Books
Description
In this political science course you will learn about the twin concepts of federalism and decentralization. You will develop an understanding of the core ideas that federalism and decentralization rest on, and study the building blocks that make them both work. Following a general overview of both federalism and decentralization, we will examine a number of case-studies from Africa where federalism and decentralization have been changing the continent’s political landscape in the last twenty years, coinciding with unprecedented levels of economic growth.
Outline
- Welcome to this course. The Three Promises of Federalism and Decentralization
- Introduction to the Course
- How to succeed in your online class?
- 1. The Promises of Federalism
- Federalism and Decentralization part 1
- Federalism and Decentralization part 2
- Overview - Federalism and Decentralization: Reflections and Implications
- Leiden University: Facts & Figures
- Meet the instructor & his team
- Readings Overview
- Community Guidelines
- What is your learning path?
- Readings Module 1
- Transcript
- The three promises of federalism
- Core Ideas in Federalism and Decentralization
- Self-Rule and Shared-Rule
- Distribution of Power
- Multiple Identities
- Overview - Foundational Issues
- Weekly Chat: A Message from Beautiful South Africa
- Readings Module 2
- Core ideas about federalism
- The Building Blocks of Federalism and Decentralization
- Legal Foundations
- Political Foundations
- Socio-Economic and Socio-Demographic Foundations
- Overview - Three Scholarly Angles
- Weekly chat
- Readings Module 3
- The building blocks
- Federalism in Post-Conflict Societies
- Federalism in South Africa
- Federalism in Ethiopia
- Federalism in Nigeria
- Overview
- Interview with Assefa Fiseha
- Readings Module 4
- Federalism in Post-Conflict Societies
- Decentralization, Democracy and Economic Development
- Decentralization in Africa
- Economic Development and Decentralization
- Unintended Consequences
- Overview
- Interview with Nico Steytler
- Readings Module 5
- Decentralization, Democracy and Economic Development
- Critical Issues in Federalism and Decentralization
- State Capacity
- Imported Institutional Blueprints vs. Local Solutions
- International Involvement
- Interview with Shawn Houlihan
- Weekly chat
- Readings Module 6
- Complete our short survey
- Critical issues
- Final Exam
Summary of User Reviews
Discover the benefits of decentralization in Africa with this informative course. Users rave about the course's comprehensive coverage and engaging instructors, while some mention that the course can be challenging at times.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
Comprehensive coverage of decentralization in AfricaPros from User Reviews
- Engaging and knowledgeable instructors
- In-depth coverage of the topic
- Great use of real-world examples
- Interactive and thought-provoking assignments
- Provides a thorough understanding of decentralization in Africa
Cons from User Reviews
- Can be challenging for beginners
- Lacks detailed information on specific African countries
- Some users found the course material to be overwhelming
- Not enough emphasis on practical applications of decentralization
- Limited interaction with other students
Dr. Jan Erk
4.7 Raiting
Federalism & Decentralization: Evaluating Africa's Track Record
- 4.7
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In this political science course you will learn about the twin concepts of federalism and decentralization. What is federalism and how is it different from decentralization?...
