Assess students' ability to analyze how colonial-era boundaries and ethnic fractionalization contributed to state fragility and the onset of civil war in Africa between 1960 and 2000. Require explanation of causal mechanisms (e.g., territorial misalignment, elite exclusion, resource competition), evaluation of empirical evidence from quantitative studies and comparative case studies (e.g., Nigeria, Sudan, Rwanda, DRC), critique of research designs, interpretation of provided data/graphs, and policy implications for conflict prevention and state-building.