Country Research Project Instructions

Project Overview

The Country Research Project will help you develop in-depth knowledge about one African country. The project is worth 140 points of your overall grade. The project contains three steps which you will be required to perform at different stages of the course and submit as a word document. Each submission should be in a 12 point font size. The word count is 1000 words minimum.

This project is essentially a writing assignment. You are expected to read, assess, and draw insights from sources to write your own informed work about an African country. Endeavor to provide a well-rounded, interesting picture of your country. Providing bare facts will lead to a very basic view. To help give a fuller picture of your assigned country, include relevant facts, responses, and analyses that bolster understanding of the topic.

The project consists of THREE steps, which you will be required to perform at different stages of the course. You will complete each step as a Word document and submit your completed assignment to the appropriate dropbox. The steps are as follows:

• Step 1: Colonial History and Political Context. (1000 words minimum)
  Due at the conclusion of Lesson 5
• Step 2: Economy
  Due at the conclusion of Lesson 8 (1000 words minimum)
• Step 3: Art/Culture
  Due at the conclusion of Lesson 11 (1000 words minimum)

Things to Know BEFORE Getting Started

About Sources

Throughout the project, you will keep a record of the information sources you used to gather the information about your assigned country. By the end of the three steps, you should have used no less than a total of NINE different references as you research your country.

• Select at least THREE sources from the PSU Libraries’ or
• Then select at least SIX academic sources of your choosing.

NOTE: The Huffington Post, New York Times, or Wikipedia ARE NOT vetted ACADEMIC sources and should NOT BE USED IN THIS CLASS. A balanced choice of academic sources will include a journal article, a book, and other web related sources.

*Make sure that for each step, you have this balance in your selection of sources to use.

Here are a few recommended sources that are not already listed on the PSU Libraries’ Research Guide for AFR 110. In recommending these sources, we are in no way suggesting that these are EXEMPLARY authorities.

For an academic assignment, you should always draw on the best sources of information, that is, refereed and reputable sources. What does refereed and reputable mean in this context? The terms mean that these sources gain authority and reputability because they are written by informed and knowledgeable authors, are fact-checked, edited, and reviewed by a publisher or other authoritative, independent entities. Such a process of refereeing, editing, and distribution tends to produce the most reliable information because it is independently verified and checked. Such reputable and refereed sources are provided in the resource sheet on information sources on Africa from the African Studies librarian, Ms. Sylvia Owiny, about the resources in Penn States library that will be useful for your assignment. Do not rely on tourism Web sites and unrefereed online encyclopedias such as Wikipedia.

About Plagiarism

Do NOT cut and paste from ANY sources into your assignment without giving credit such an act constitutes plagiarism. This includes any media you may include or reference. As is true in your other courses, the policy in AFR 110 is that you should not use words that are not your own in an unacknowledged manner. Changing one or two words in a sentence does not entitle you to use it as your own, since you are using someone else’s ideas.

This assignment will be submitted using Turnitin, which is built into each of the Country Research Project dropboxes. Submission instructions for Turnitin can be found on the .

Of course, all scholars learn from others, and you are welcome to draw on ideas or quotations from the sources you find helpful – just remember to use parentheses [e.g. (Juarez, 2016)] when paraphrasing or quotation marks when quoting word for word.

Please do not disadvantage yourself and risk a poor grade by plagiarizing your sources. For more information, please see the University Policies in the syllabus.

About Student Country Assignments

Each student will be assigned an African Country to research. In the FA/SP you will receive your country assignment by the beginning of Week 3. For the Summer sessions you will receive your country assignment by the end of Week 1.

You will see your assigned country posted to the
Note: If you are unable to link to the page – the page may not be published at this time.

About Due Dates

All work is to submitted on time. No late assignments will be accepted as noted in the syllabus. It is your responsibility to check the Course Schedule or Course Calendar for the assignment due dates. If you are unable to meet the project deadlines, please contact your instructor.

About EACH Step Submission

ALL of your written Step submissions should adhere to the points noted below.
Any additional criteria or grading information will be sent to you by your instructor.

1. FORMAT: upload ONLY as a MS Word doc or docx file; use single space; use a 12 point font.
2. FILE NAME: Naming your file is important. Your filename should begin with your LAST NAME and include the Project Step and # e.g. MyLastName_Project STEP_1.docx
3. CONTENT: Be focused on and address the information detailed in each of the Project Steps
4. LENGTH: Minimum of 1000 words (12 font)
5. SUBMISSIONS: For each project Step you will submit your work to the appropriate dropbox in the course. Dropboxes are located in the lesson in which the Step is due. Each dropbox is labeled as “Submit Country Research Project STEP ‘X'” – where X is the number of the project step. Note: Each dropbox contains information and an example of how you should format your writing
6. WRITING: It is expected that your work be well written, organized, and written as a persuasive essay i.e. consisting of clearly written and logically organized paragraphs. Simple one sentence responses to the guide prompts for each of the Steps in the project are not sufficient. Also note that guide prompts are only that–guide prompts. They do not exhaust the possible ideas and reflections that you should be addressing. If you respond ONLY to these prompts you are not doing enough.

This assignment will be submitted using Turnitin, which is built into each dropbox. Information on Turnitin, including upload instructions, can be found on their

Completing The Project Steps

Project STEP 1 – 50 points

To complete this step, your essay and research should, at the very least, include answers, rationales, and insights into the following questions regarding your country. Organize your work into a readable and persuasive essay. Do not provide one-line answers to the questions below.

1. Basic information about your country of study:

• What is the name of the country you are researching? What was its name prior to colonial rule?
• What is the capital city of the country being researched? Did the capital city change its name after colonial rule?
• Briefly describe the country you are researching to indicate its geographical location and topography (e.g., tropical, desert, savanna, mountainous or a combination).

2. Colonial history of your country of study:

• Which European colonial power ruled this territory and when?
• What was the nature and type of colonial rule in the country you are researching?
• How did colonial occupation impact the following?
  • local political structures;
  • social and cultural institutions (e.g., land ownership, marriage, inheritance, gender relations, etc.);
  • traditional religions and/or spiritual practices;
  • the economy
• What were the two major events during colonial occupation that catalyzed the process of independence?
• When (the date) did the country gain independence? Who became the leader of the country at independence? How is independence celebrated in contemporary society?

3. Current political context:

• What type of political system was introduced immediately after independence, and what changes were made in the two decades after independence?
• Explain how the politics of the country have changed over the last twenty years.
• Who is the present leader of your assigned country?
• What is the current political system in place? Name the main political parties.
• When were the last elections held, and what was the outcome, that is, which political party gained power and which political party ceded power (if relevant)?
• How did the contending parties, the populace, the media, and election observers react to the election results?
• When is the next election scheduled to be held?
• Assess the state of the political system and the role of the media in the country you are researching.
• What is the current relationship between the U.S. and your assigned country?

4. Conclusion:

Using all the data you have collected and the analyses you have conducted pertaining to the above questions, write a conclusion addressing how the current political context in your country of study has not only been influenced by colonial rule but also by African regional political developments and the international political context.

5. Other Requirements:

• Referencing: Evidential Proof of sources used: Paper should be supported by evidence and quotations from sources. At least three sources with APA citation at the bottom of the report, Variation in selection of sources. (You can access APA citation style information at
• Organization of text: Well organized, detailed and logical/cohesive arguments addressing relevant issues.

Your work will be graded according to the

.

Refer to the item for how to submit your work.

Project STEP 2 – 50 points

To complete this step, your essay and research should, at the very least, include answers, rationales, and insights into the following questions regarding your country:

1. Major Economic Features

• Current demographic and economic features:
  • What is the population of your country? (Break this down into age, gender, rural and urban population.)
  • What are the major natural resources and the major features of the economy? Is the economy driven by the export of minerals and raw materials, agriculture, significant industries, or a mixture of these? What are the main exports and imports?
  • Which countries are its largest trading partners? Is the country a member of regional or continental African trading blocs?
  • How do different groups of people in your country make a living? Explore this in relation to both formal (i.e., salaried jobs) and informal work (casual, cash-in-hand work), look at both rural and urban settings, and consider the young, old, men, and women. Are there gendered differences in how men and women make a living in your country?
• Basic economic indicators and economic policies:
  • Since independence, how has domestic economic policy shaped the country?
  • How have international economic forces shaped your countrys economy? For example, has your country been impacted by economic structural adjustment programs initiated by the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund? Do international trade agreements impact your country?
  • What is the current Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross National Product (GNP) of your country? What is the significance of these figures?
  • What is the unemployment rate?
  • What is the poverty rate?
  • What is the foreign debt figure?
  • What do all these different economic indicators show about the state of the economy in your country?
• Information technology and economic development
  • How has this country integrated information and technology communication (ICT) into its strategy for economic development/advancement?
  • To what extent are the internet and mobile phones, including mobile banking used in your country? Do these affect economic potential?
• Economic impacts of Covid-19:
  • What impact has COVID-19 had on the economy of the country? Which industries/areas have been heavily impacted by COVID-19?
  • To what extent can the economic impact of COVID-19 be attributed to the countrys response to the pandemic? Give specific examples of pandemic responses and the ripple effects of them.
• Economic impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war on African regional economic communities:
  • What are the possible economic impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war on the regional economic communities of the country? Focus on: (1) Food security and related policies and (2) Energy security and related policies and the resultant inflationary pressures the country is likely to face.

2. Conclusion:

Using all the data gathered and analysis you have conducted in relation to the above questions, write a conclusion addressing the economic health of your country and analyze the main factors contributing to its current strengths and challenges. What advice would you give to the leader of the country regarding turning these challenges into opportunities?

3. Other Requirements:

• Referencing: Evidential Proof of sources used: Paper should be supported by evidence and quotations from sources. At least three sources with APA citation at the bottom of the report, Variation in selection of sources. (You can access APA citation style information at )
• Organization of text: Well organized, detailed and logical/cohesive arguments addressing relevant issues.

Your work will be graded according to the

.

Refer to the item for how to submit your work.

Project STEP 3 – 40 points

Africa has four Nobel Laureates for literature and a rich and varied artistic heritage. Examples of well-known annual African cultural festivals include Fespaco, the continent-wide film festival in Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Poetry Africa in Durban, South Africa and the Zanzibar International Film Festival in Tanzania.

1. Colonial impact on art and culture:

• How does the art and culture of your country reflect colonial impact? State how colonialism has impacted the following:
  
  • the languages of your country (e.g. their use in schools as languages of teaching and learning, their use in government for statecraft, their use in business, etc.)? How have the different roles allocated to the different languages led to “elite closure”?
  • the literature of your country? Pay attention to the effects of a shift from oral to written literature.
  • the film industry of your country?
  • ceremonies such as child naming, initiation, weddings, burials/funerals etc.)
  • the music and dance of your country?
  • the cuisine of your country?
  • the major religions of your country, e.g. Are there signs of religious syncretism?

2. Leading/notable influences on art and culture and their works (identify 3 leading individuals and 3 of their works for each category):

• Who are the leading or notable influences of art and culture in your country – what are some examples of their work and what is the impact of their work both locally and internationally? In these different categories, pay attention to the representation of women.
  • Who are the major writers … what are some examples … what is their impact locally/internationally?
  • Who are the major artists … what are some examples … what is their impact locally/internationally?
  • Who are the major film makers … what are some examples … what is their impact locally/internationally?
  • Who are the major musicians … what are some examples … what is their impact locally/internationally?

3. Conclusion:

Using all the data and analysis you have done pertaining to the above questions, write a conclusion addressing how culture in your country can play a role in economic and social development.

4. Other Requirements:

• Referencing: Evidential Proof of sources used: Paper should be supported by evidence and quotations from sources. At least three sources with APA citation at the bottom of the report, Variation in selection of sources. (You can access APA citation style information at )
• Organization of text: Well organized, detailed and logical/cohesive arguments addressing relevant issues.

Your work will be graded according to the

.

Refer to the item for how to submit your work.