Amy Patterson, Department of Politics
During fall 2023, I was the faculty director for the Sewanee-Rhodes-Centre semester in Ghana program. I taught an African politics course, which focused on Ghanaian politics. Students had the opportunity to hear from several political science professors at the University of Ghana, visit the US Embassy to learn about US-Ghana relations, and take fieldtrips throughout the country. I used my Center for Teaching mini-grant to facilitate engagement between University of Ghana student leaders and students in my course.
The grant supported two events. First, I paid an honorarium for the student president of the National Democratic Congress (the country’s main opposition party), who spoke about partisan mobilization on campus. To be fair, I also invited the youth leader for the ruling New Patriotic Party, but a last-minute call from a party official made it impossible for him to attend. (His last-minute absence illustrated hierarchy and patronage in political parties–two course themes.) Our discussion with the NDC youth activist emphasized themes from our readings on youth in African politics. These themes also emerged when we analyzed multiple youth-led protests that occurred during the semester in response to corruption and economic mismanagement. The speaker illustrated how universities in Ghana can be highly partisan environments, a theme that surprised US students. These youth leaders also demonstrated the ability forge networks with party leaders and maneuver around their peers to gain prized political positions on campus.
The second event involved student leaders at the University of Ghana. As we drank fresh mango-ginger-pineapple smoothies, my students learned about how these students advocate for issues on campus. For example, one third-year described writing articles for local newspapers about student mental health. Another led the psychology club–a major with over 4,000 students—and actively lobbied the administration for housing improvements. Others described leadership roles in their residential halls. Through these discussions, my students learned how crucial these on-campus positions are for future employment opportunities, particularly in a country with extremely high youth unemployment. These events enabled my students to hear about the experiences of their peers, to see the embodiment of concepts from the study of African politics, and to laugh and joke across cultural lines. Some students then engaged further with the Ghanaian students, and one even wrote a final paper on universities as spaces for partisan politics based on additional interviews with youth party leaders. I am grateful to the Center for Teaching for making these experiences in Ghana possible.
