ANSWER

Part I: Questions on Emerging Africa (Steven Radelet’s book):

1. Explain the meaning of a “Cheetah” and a “Big Man” (Ch. 7 and 3) and how these terms refer to a different way of looking at democracy and civil society?
   • Start by defining what “Cheetah” and “Big Man” mean in the context of the book.
   • Discuss how these terms relate to democracy and civil society. Are “Cheetah” characteristics aligned with democratic values? Is the concept of “Big Man” related to authoritarianism or strongman politics?
2. Is Radelet’s positive view in Chapter 6 on the African ICT explosion valid and sustainable? What are the challenges?
   • Summarize Radelet’s perspective on the African ICT explosion as presented in Chapter 6.
   • Evaluate whether this view is valid and sustainable. Do you agree with the author’s assessment?
   • Identify and discuss the challenges and potential obstacles to sustaining the ICT growth in Africa.
3. Find a ‘cheetah’ (person or organization) in your assigned country and show their work towards protecting human rights, free speech, systems of accountability, reducing poverty, etc.
   • Research and identify a notable individual or organization in your assigned country that embodies the “Cheetah” characteristics.
   • Describe their work and how it contributes to the mentioned goals, such as human rights, free speech, accountability, and poverty reduction.
4. Evaluate how your assigned country ranks in terms of democracy using Think Tank Freedom House and the Polity IV Index.
   • Visit the provided websites (Think Tank Freedom House and Polity IV Index) and gather information about your assigned country’s democracy ranking.
   • Compare and analyze the rankings and any related information to understand the state of democracy in your assigned country.
5. Discuss the dangers that global democracies are facing.
   • Read the linked article from The Washington Post and summarize the key dangers that global democracies are currently facing.
   • Reflect on how these challenges might impact your assigned country’s democracy.
6. Check if YALI (Young African Leaders Initiative) is active in your assigned country.
   • Visit the YALI website and determine if your assigned country is actively involved in YALI programs or initiatives.
   • Provide information about the presence and activities of YALI in your assigned country.
7. Stay updated with current news in your assigned country using allafrica.com.
   • Visit the Allafrica website and browse through news articles related to your assigned country.
   • Summarize any current events or developments that are relevant to the topics discussed in the readings.

Part II: Questions associated with “Poor Economics” by Banerjee & Duflo:

1. Identify major obstacles in raising developing countries out of poverty (Ch. 6).
   • Summarize the main obstacles to poverty alleviation discussed in Chapter 6 of “Poor Economics” by Banerjee & Duflo.
2. Discuss effective health investments (Ch. 3).
   • Summarize the key points regarding effective health investments presented in Chapter 3 of the book.
3. Examine challenges and solutions related to education in your assigned country (Ch. 4).
   • Analyze the education challenges in your assigned country, drawing from Chapter 4 of the book.
   • Discuss what strategies or approaches are working or not working in addressing these challenges.

Remember to provide evidence and examples to support your answers, and critically analyze the information from the provided sources.

QUESTION

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