Africa in International Politics (Pols 102)

Introduction

Nature of the International System

Understanding Africa's place in international politics requires first understanding the nature of the international system itself — the broader structure within which African states pursue their interests and relations with other global actors.

Art displaying love for Africa 

The international system refers to the pattern of interactions among states and other global actors within the global arena. It is characterized by anarchy — meaning that, in the international realm, there is no central authority governing over sovereign states. As a result, states operate under a logic of self-help, in which survival and the pursuit and protection of national interests take precedence, since no higher authority exists to guarantee their security or enforce order.

Africa's Historical Position within the System

In the context of Africa, the international system has historically been shaped by imperialism, colonialism, and neo-colonialism. African states entered the international system primarily as former colonies, struggling to assert sovereignty and autonomy within a system whose rules and power structures had already been shaped by the very powers that had colonised them.

Classifications by Power Distribution

The international system can also be broadly classified according to how power is distributed among its major actors:

1. Bipolar system — power is concentrated around two dominant centres of power (as seen during the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union).

2. Multipolar system — power is dispersed among multiple centres, with no single state or bloc dominating the system.

3. Unipolar system — power is concentrated in a single dominant state, which is able to project power across the system largely unchallenged.

Conclusion

These classifications matter for understanding Africa's position in world politics, because the continent's leverage, alliance choices, and development strategies have shifted depending on which power structure prevailed at a given time — from the bipolar Cold War era, through the post–Cold War unipolar moment, to the increasingly multipolar system many scholars argue is emerging today.