Contextualization

This project aims to explore a key theme in Geography and International Relations: the 'Issues of African Dependency'. Understanding the mechanisms of global economic dependence and influence is crucial for understanding world dynamics.

Africa, known for its rich cultural diversity and abundant natural resources, has a long history of colonial exploitation and continues to struggle with economic dependence. Despite its wealth in natural resources, many African countries remain dependent on external nations for the exploitation of their resources and for sustaining their economies, creating a cycle of dependence that has been difficult to break.

African dependency has its roots in the colonial period, where many European powers controlled and exploited African resources for their own benefit. Even today, despite many African countries being officially independent, the economic dependence on these resources continues. This raises important questions about social justice, inequality, and sovereignty.

Knowledge and discussion on this topic are vital for the education of young people who are aware and critical of the socio-economic and political realities of our present time. Through this project, you will be able to further investigate the issues of African dependency, analyze the factors that have contributed to this situation, and discuss possible solutions for the future.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: 'Unveiling African Dependency'

Objective:

The objective of the activity is to analyze the dependency relationship between Africa and other continents. For this, students will conduct in-depth research on the historical, social, political, and economic aspects that led to this situation.

Students will also create a seminar-style presentation that will be presented to the entire classroom. This seminar should be interdisciplinary, involving knowledge of Geography, History, and Economics.

Detailed Project Description:

For the project, students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5 people. Each group will be responsible for addressing a specific topic among those presented below:

1. Historical context: Explore how colonizations in Africa occurred and how this situation impacted the economy and culture of these countries.
2. Economic structures: Analyze the main economic activities of these countries and investigate why they cannot develop economically.
3. Social issues: Research the main social problems of these countries, such as social inequality, lack of access to education and health, among others.
4. International relations: Study which are the main countries that economically influence Africa and how this is reflected in international relations.

Necessary Materials:

1. Internet access to conduct research.
2. Materials for the presentation, such as a computer and projector.
3. Materials to prepare slides or posters for the presentation.

Step by Step:

1. Divide students into groups and assign a topic to each one.
2. Students should research the assigned topic, using the recommended sources and others they find.
3. Each group should prepare a 20-minute presentation on their topic.
4. After the presentations, each group should prepare a written report based on their research and presentation. This report should be divided into four parts: Introduction, Development, Conclusions, and Bibliography used.

Project Deliverables:

Students must deliver the presentation (in slide or poster format) and the written report.

In the report, the Introduction should contain the contextualization of the group's theme, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the study's objective. The Development should detail the theory behind the theme, explain the methodology used, and present the results obtained in the research. The Conclusion should reaffirm the main points of the work, explain the learnings obtained, and the conclusions drawn. The Bibliography should indicate all sources used in the research.

These deliverables should demonstrate not only the students' theoretical understanding of the topic but also the ability to conduct in-depth research, work in a team, and effectively communicate their findings.