Past Event! Note: this event has already taken place.
Ghana @ 66 Public Lecture
March 8, 2023 at 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
| Location: | 433 Paterson Hall |
| Cost: | Free |
| Audience: | Alumni, Anyone, Carleton Community, Current Students, Faculty, Staff, Staff and Faculty |
| Contact Email: | africanstudies@cunet.carleton.ca |
| Contact Phone: | 613-520-2600 ext. 2229 |
“Outside gentility, home cry”: The Progress and Problem with Ghana’s Democracy and the role of China.
As part of the African Studies Brownbag Seminar Series, the Institute of African Studies (IAS) invites you to join us on Wednesday, March 08, 1 – 2:30 pm for a hybrid event ( in-person and online) by Dr.Isaac Odoom about Outside gentility, home cry”: The Progress and Problem with Ghana’s Democracy and the role of China.
Abstract
While Ghana continues to ride on a reputation in the international arena as a beacon of democracy in Africa, there is a growing disparity between local feelings towards democracy and international perceptions of democratic consolidation in Ghana. Democratic consolidation is often presented in terms of electoral success. However, serious problems relating to governance and human development remain in Ghana. This paradox is complicated by Ghana-China relations. Given China’s policy of “non-interference,” the country is often charged with undermining democratization in Africa and enabling human rights abuse through the export of Chinese (surveillance) technology. This talk, against the backdrop of Chinese influence, will address these contradictions in Ghana as it marks 66 years of independence and three decades of constitutional democracy.
About Speaker
Isaac Odoom is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Carleton University. His research program primarily focuses on African Politics, Africa-China relations, Rising Powers in Global governance, South-South Cooperation, and the Political Economy of Development in the Global South. He is also interested in Critical International Relations Theory and pedagogy, particularly questions around academic dependency and decolonization in higher education. Isaac’s ongoing research examines the influence of ‘New’ Development Actors, with a focus on the role of African agency in shaping Africa-China development relations, and the impact of Chinese energy and technology investments in Canada and across Africa.