This course examines how globalization has shaped environmental, social, economic, and political processes throughout sub-Saharan Africa. It analyses different theoretical frameworks for evaluating environmental management and decision-making as well as the linkages between information technology and overarching development priorities on the continent. More specifically, the course encourages students to explore and understand the complex causes of globalization and how they affect people’s livelihoods, both in cities and rural areas. It also allows students to critically analyze the ethical and social justice dimensions of an increasingly globalized economic, social, and ecological environment, to identify winners and losers, and to reflect on mainstream discourses of resource degradation and poverty. By using Ghana as a case study and a destination for a three-week research field trip, students assess the specific factors that shape globalization regionally and be exposed to participatory research methods to be used locally when engaging with different group of stakeholders (farmers, miners, students, private sector employees, and governmental officials) in the field. Encounters with these different groups will introduce the students to diverse cultural environments and enable a prolific learning experience. In addition, students are required to obtain basic proficiency in Twi, one of the main languages in Ghana. The ultimate goal of the course is to draw upon the lessons learned in class and in the field to create alternative and empowering perspectives of sustainable development based on a more detailed understanding of people’s constraints and opportunities in their real life contexts.
The class in October 2006, trying on traditional Ghanaian clothing while preparing for the research trip.
The class spent three weeks in the field conducting research through a variety of research methods including participatory methods, surveys, and semi-structured interviews. The class traveled throughout Ghana (see the map for our route). The trip started in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, and the location of the University of Ghana, Legon. The University of Ghana's Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) was a partner in all research activities. RIPS students participated in all of the research efforts. From Accra, we traveled north to Ejura where we spent the first week researching environmental services, forest protection, sustainable agriculture, and rural poverty. During the second week, we traveled south through the mining district of Ghana, stopping in several mining communities along the way. We studied small-scale gold mining, toxic contamination, and bioenvironmental health. During the third week, we stayed at the University of Ghana and conducted research on telecommunications, the digital economy, and new job opportunities. For more information on the three research topics, as well as general field activities, visit the following links:
Week 1: Environmental services, forest protection, sustainable agriculture, and rural poverty
Week 2: Small-scale gold mining, toxic contamination, and bioenvironmental health
Week 3: Telecommunications, the digital economy, and new job opportunities
Field Activities: Accra City Tour Elmina Castle Kakum National Forest
Map of trip itinerary
Photos from the trip: http://picasaweb.google.com/AESEDA.GHANA
Presentation on the class and the research trip
University of Ghana's Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS)
General information about Ghana
Course Instructors:
Dr. Chris Benner, Professor of Geography, Penn State University
Dr. Petra Tschakert, Professor of Geography, Penn State University
Collaborators:
Dr. Francis Dodoo, Professor of Sociology, Penn State, and Director, Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana