Thesis (Ph. D. (International Politics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016 / The United States of America’s (US) foreign policy towards Africa has been the
subject for debate. This is partly because the country’s relationship with African
countries is not consistent. By and large, such relations are shaped by a number of
factors which include political orientation and material resources. Within this context,
the present study uses case studies from two different parts of Africa to tease out US
foreign policy towards Africa. This explorative study uses Ghana and the United
Republic of Tanzania (hereafter referred to as Tanzania) as test cases to compare
and critique the post-Cold War foreign policy of the US towards Africa. It does this by
first analysing and constructing the theoretical material on the three pillars of the US
Africa policy (oil, democracy and security) and subsequently, contemporaneously
locating the US relationship with Ghana and Tanzania. Largely, the study carries a
historical sensibility as it traces the US relationship with Ghana and Tanzania from
as far as the colonial era. History is crucial in this regard because the past provides a
sound basis for understanding the present and future. To add, in International
Politics theory holds sway and history is used as a laboratory.
In this thesis, the researcher proposes Afrocentricity as an alternative theoretical
paradigm crucial in understanding US foreign policy towards Africa. As it shall be
seen, such a paradigm (theoretical lens) remains critical in highlighting the peculiarity
of the US relationship with Ghana and Tanzania. It is envisaged that a deeper
understanding of the US foreign policy towards Ghana and Tanzania is achievable
when its analysis and interpretation is located within a broader continental context of
Africa. To realise the purpose of this study, the researcher relies methodologically on
interdisciplinary critical discourse and conversations in their widest forms.
With reference to the test cases for this study, the agenda for democratic
consolidation features prominently on both of them while oil is only applicable to
Ghana in this regard. In contrast, Tanzania distinguishes itself both as a victim of
terrorism and equally so as a strategic partner on the US anti-terrorism efforts in
East Africa. Yet, oil in West Africa’s Ghana is important for the US both as an
economic resource and a strategic energy source during wartime periods. Overall
the ‘differential’ foreign policy towards individual African states is also a significant
observation which dispels the myth of a universal US foreign policy framework.
Keywords: Africa, Afrocentricity, democracy, East Africa, foreign policy, Ghana, oil,
security, Tanzania, United States of America, West Africa.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ul/oai:ulspace.ul.ac.za:10386/2610 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Shai, Kgothatso Brucely |
| Contributors | Molapo, R. R., Sodi, T. |
| Publisher | University of Limpopo |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiv, 206 leaves |
| Relation |
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