Political Science experiential learning trip to Ghana sets off

Written by Leo Aul, Communications Intern

Students and faculty in Political Science are participating in an experiential learning course trip to Ghana, West Africa from May 2nd to May 12th. The students will have the opportunity to explore the complexities of commodities in a global supply chain from producer to consumer and the various related issues including politics, trade, economic growth and more. The students will be guided across Ghana by King’s Political Science professors Dr. Erin Hannah and Dr. Thomas Tieku.

The students and faculty will be visiting the following locations while in Ghana: Cape Coast Elmina Castle, Kakum National Park, Jomoro Farming Community, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Makola market and many more.

A few students shared what they hoped to learn from the trip.

 “I hope to take advantage of the experiential learning taking place in Ghana. This is a unique opportunity offered through King’s that will allow me to broaden my horizons. I hope to keep an open mind and immerse myself in another culture while learning about the diverse and uniqueness of the Ghanaian culture. As someone who has never travelled before, I hope to leave Ghana with a different perspective and be able to incorporate that into my line of thinking. Most importantly, I’m excited to see and experience new things with like-minded students and professors at King’s,” says Lorena Kettle, second-year major in Criminology and minor in Political Science.

Liam Semple, second-year major in Political Science, says his goals for the trip include “being able to get a realistic view into how the supply chain works from a developing country to the markets in the global north as well as seeing how different practices in trade can impact the communities that focus on production.”

“I am looking forward to applying course material in a practical setting. Both Dr. Hannah and Dr. Tieku are so knowledgeable in the field of international political economy, and I look forward to learning from them throughout this journey,” says Chloe Duggal, fourth-year honours specialization in Political Science..

“Experiential learning through this course is to help students understand the commodity supply chain. Our expectation as instructors is that students will have a much more grounded and nuanced understanding of the international political economy which includes the production, sales and exports of commodities and the distribution of resulting material benefits. One commodity that students will get to explore will be the cocoa and chocolate industry. Students are going to meet people from the grassroots in the farming community to the political leadership, including a meeting with the High Commission of Canada to Ghana.  After this experience, we expect students to have a good sense of the players in an international political economy. This experience will allow these students to imagine the future of the world and the kind of career path they want to develop for themselves,” says Dr. Tieku.

To follow these students and faculty on their journey, check out their Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

To learn more about this Political Science experiential learning trip and other opportunities,  please visit kings.uwo.ca/academics/politics-international-relations/experience/