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Dr. Kojo Opoku Aidoo

Position: 
Senior Research Fellow
Email: 
Koaidoo@ug.edu.gh
Section: 
History and Politics
Profile

After my doctorate in 2003 at the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, I opted to pursue an academia career. This was a conscious moment of choice in my life. And, my journey in the academia, spanning over a decade and half, has seen me teaching and researching in the three major universities in Ghana, viz. the University of Cape Coast, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Ghana where I am presently Senior Research Fellow. My work basically focuses on critical and political theory, political economy, social movements, democratization and globalization in the context of Africa. I have explored, over the years, the linkages between ingrained neopatrimonialism and the low levels of issue politics in post-colonial Africa, neoliberalism and African development, pro-poor growth, the multilaterals and Africa, agricultural policy making, military in African politics and the state and politics in post-coloniality Africa. I have also been supervising graduate theses in these fields.

I am currently the principal investigator of a project funded by the Institute of Asian Studies, Leiden, and the Mellon Foundation, titled “Humanities across Borders: Asia and Africa in the World”. I am the author of numerous articles and three books on political stability in Ghana, Pan Africanism, memories of colonial slavery in Haiti, military in politics, and the processes of agricultural policy making. I have been presenting a significant number of papers at conferences in Africa, North America, Europe and Asia and have built a respectable list of publications. In my leisure time, I play chess.

More information on my research, publications, teaching and research projects can be found on http://www.iasfellow

Education
  1. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Political Science) – University of Ghana, Legon (2003)
  2. Master of Philosophy (MPhil. Political Science) – University of Ghana, Legon (1990)
  3. Post-Graduate Diploma (Political Economy and Management of the National Economy) – Institute of Social Science, Moscow, Russia (1986)
  4. Bachelor of Arts (Honours, Political Science with Philosophy) – University of Ghana (1981)
Research Interests
  1. Democracy, Democratization and Electoral Politics in Africa
  2. Grassroots Pan Africanism
  3. Social Movements in Africa
  4. China-Africa Trade and Political Relations
  5. South-South Cooperation
  6. Insurgency and Irregular Warfare in West Africa
  7. Global Terrorism and Africa
Research Projects
  • Mobilities of Grassroots Pan Africanism (Funded by Mellon Foundation, in progress)
  • Asafo Songs are Expressions of History, Culture, Identity and Politics (with Dr Godwin Adjei in progress)
  • Post-coloniality and Development Narratives in Africa
  • Neo-liberal Globalization and Social Movements in West Africa (2013)
  • Post-neoliberalism and Democratic Development (2012)
  • Africans Perception of Chinese Migrants in Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania (2011)
  • Tactical Dynamics around the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) with Professor Bruce Sarpong, Faculty of Agricultural Economics
  • Political Economy of Agricultural Policies in Ghana with Funds Provided by Future Agricultures Consortium (FAC)
  • The United States of Africa Project and Food Security in Africa (2009)
  • Political Economy of Pro-poor Growth (2009)
  • Political Participation, Neopatrimonial Rule and Governance in Africa (2008)
  • Political Stability in Ghana (2008)
  • Multilateral Donors and Development in Ghana (2007)
  • Change and Continuity in the Native Political System of Denkyira (2006)
  • Haiti and Contemporary Pan Africanism (2006)
  • Governance Constraints in Africa: The Case Study of Political Participation in Ghana (1992 to 2000) - PhD Thesis (2003)
Research Activities

Mobilities of Grassroots Pan Africanism (Funded by Mellon Foundation) 2017-2020.

Asafo Groups in Central Ghana as Expressions of Politics, Ideology, Culture and History (with Dr Adjei)

Publications

BOOKS/MONOGRAPHS

  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2018. Collection of Essays Lambert Academic Publishing ISBN 978-613-9-57703-3
  • Thomas Maxwell Aidoo 2008a. Political Stability in Ghana: since the 1992 Re-democratization Wave. : VDM Verlag ISBN 978-3-639-05418-7, 140 pages
  • Thomas Maxwell Aidoo. 2008b. Political Participation, Governance, and Neopatrimonial Rule in Africa: The Case of Ghana - (1990 - 2000),

BOOK CHAPTERS

  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo. 2014 Beyond Neo Liberalism: Towards Democratic Development Trajectory in Samba Nzongo (ed.) Rethinking Development, CreateSpace Independent ISBN: 1493713248
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2014 Neo-liberal globalisation and social movements in Ghana: the case of Ashaiman in Ndongo Samba Sylla (ed.) Liberalism and its discontents: Social movements in West Africa, CreateSpace Independent, ISBN: 978-1499324754
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2013 Jomo Kenyatta, the African Anthropologist: Reflections in Slimane Hachi (ed.) Colloque International: L’Anthropologue Africain CNRPAH, Algeria ISBN 978-9961-716-61-8
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2013 Les mouvements sociaux dans I’Afrique contemporaine: problems et perspectives Imprim Vert, Panim, France ISBN 2- 916374 – 72 – 7 p.125-134
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, Governance Social Development Nexus in Dodzi Tsikata (ed.) Ghana: Social Development Outlook, ISSER, Legon
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2010 L’a Afrique dans le monde modern: dynamiques de dominations et de crises in La crise globale et l’Afrique: quells changements? Fondation Gabriel Peri, 93500 Panim, France ISBN2-916374-42-0 p. 26-37
  • Thomas Maxwell Aidoo and Richard Asante (2013). "Human Security in Africa" in Takyiwaa Manuh and Esi Sutherland-Addy (Eds) Africa in Contemporary Perspective: A Textbook for Undergraduate Students. Accra Subsaharan Publishers (Ch.12. pp.248-265)
  • Thomas Maxwell Aidoo 2006. “Haiti and Modern Pan-Africanism: Reflections”, in Haiti 1804–2004: Le Regard de I’ Afrique, Marseille, France, Groupe Horizon. Pp. 211-221

ARTICLES IN REFEREED JOURNALS

  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, Music and the Challenge of Democracy / – In: Journal of Intra-African Studies (2009), Number 2, ISSN 2141-6222, Pp. 231 – 250
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2010 L’Histoire du mouvement panafricaniste de 1900 à la fondation de l'Organisation de l'unité africaine en 1963, Revue Africaine Des Sciences Sociales et De La Sante Publique, Ecole Des Hautes Etudes En Sciences Sociales,  N°000,October, 2010, Pp. 11-21
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo and Peter DeMarco, 2009 The Neopatrimonial Framework and Military Coup d’état in Africa: Reflections Research Review Vol. 25 No. 2, Pp. 47-62
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo 2009. “The Political Economy of Pro-poor Development: The Case of Ghana’s Poverty Reduction Strategies” Research Review New Series, Volume 25, No. 1, Pp. 25-42
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo 2009. A United States of Africa: The Scepticism and Enthusiasm Discourses / – In: Journal of Intra-African Studies (2009), Number 2, ISSN 2141-6222, Pp. 231 – 250
  • Kojo Opoku Aidoo 2008. “Change and Continuity in Native Political Systems: The Case of the Denkyira State.” N.S Vol. 3, No 1, Pp. 121-144, (January).
  • Thomas Maxwell Aidoo 2006. “Political Involvement in a Democratizing Neopatrimonial Polity: The Case of Ghana, 1992-2000.” N.S., Vol. 22, No. 2, Pp. 13-36
  • Thomas Maxwell Aidoo 2006. “The Context and Provenance of Ghana’s Democratization: 1998-2000.” , No 9: Pp. 7-14 (winter)

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Kojo Opoku Aidoo, 2009c (ed.) 20 Years of German reunification and 52 years of Ghana’s independence: Proceedings of a symposium on lessons for nation-building http://www.kas,de/wf/doc/kas_17610-544-1-30.pdf 87 Pages

Teaching

(A). Faculty of Social Science, University of Cape Verde

1. Theories of Regional Integration

(B). Department of History and Political Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

1. Comparative Politics

2. Middle Eastern Politics

3. Government and Politics in Africa

4. Public Policy Analysis

5. Special Topics in Political Science

6. Foundational Politics

(C). Institute of African Studies, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China

  1. Political Economy of African Development
  2. Culture and Development in Africa

(D). Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana

  1. AFST 710 Pan Africanism and African Unity
  2. AFST 606: The Military in African Politics
  3. AFST 603: Theories of Development in Africa
  4. AFST 604: Issues in African Development
  5. AFST 605: Government and Politics in Early Post-Independent Africa
  6. AFST 210: Social Framework of Economic Development
  7. AFST 220: Africa in the Modern World
  8. In addition, I have taught modules in two programmes run by the Institute of African Studies, namely, the Trent-in-Ghana and the Calvin College Programs since 2006.

(E). At the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Cape Coast

1. DGL 506: Democracy, Governance and Law

2. DEV 501: Concepts and theories of Development and Underdevelopment

3. Social Science Research Methods

Student Supervision
  1. PhD/MPhil/MA Theses: I have since 2006 supervised six (6) PhD and twenty five (25) MA/MPhil theses.
  2. MA/MPhil Theses: I am presently supervising one MPhil theses:
  3. PhD Theses: I am presently supervising two PhD thesis namely:

 

B. PhD/MPhil THESES AND DISSERTATIONS EXAMINED

I have since 2006 examined five PhD and twenty MA/MPhil theses.