African Governance And Development Issues In A World Of Change

The present work is part of the outcome of the 2018 International Conference of the Association for the Promotion of African Studies, which had the theme African ideologies in a world of change. Heraclitus of Ephesus, an ancient philosopher and one of the important thinkers in human history, said that change is the basic law of nature and the condition of all things. All things are in a state of flux. You cannot step twice into the same river, for just as water in a river is ceaselessly changing, so are all things in a state of flux. In relation to Africas historical experience, Alik Shahadah observes that Africa is a continent where cultures have smashed through deserts; crossed trade routes; traveled through immigration borders, disregarding her notions of geography and race; and names, foods, cultures, religions, genetics have jumped between Asia and Africa, etc. with blatant disregard for our social constructions. The Association for the Promotion of African Studies, in her 2018 international conference, provided a context for African scholars to study African ideologies in a world of change, especially as it concerns politics and development in Africa from a variety of points of view. This piece, which is a collection of academic papers from seventeen scholars, focuses on the processes of change and disorganization of the various traditional, social, and cultural patterns and organizations and then on the possible recrystallization of some traditional elements within the more modern and differentiated societies.

Covers topical issues for Africa's development, economics and politics of climate change, water management, public service delivery, and delivering aid. The authors argue that these issues should be included in the post-MDG paradigm and add an important voice to recent moves by academics and practitioners to engage with each other.

Our Continent, Our Future presents the emerging African perspective on this complex issue. The authors use as background their own extensive experience and a collection of 30 individual studies, 25 of which were from African economists, to summarize this African perspective and articulate a path for the future. They underscore the need to be sensitive to each country's unique history and current condition. They argue for a broader policy agenda and for a much more active role for the state within what is largely a market economy. Finally, they stress that Africa must, and can, compete in an increasingly globalized world and, perhaps most importantly, that Africans must assume the leading role in defining the continent's development agenda.

Combining studies of demography, climate change, technology and innovation, political development, new actors in international development, and global governance frameworks, this book highlights the major underlying determinants of change in the African context and key uncertainties about the continent's future development prospects.

Many new development initiatives have been introduced in Africa over the past few decades. Each of these has been heralded as marking a new era in the continent‘s development. However, many of these initiatives have failed to produce sustained results due to numerous challenges, including, most importantly, the lack of good governance. The Africa P

* Written by prominent scholars and practitioners of African development policy * Describes recent governance changes in Africa * Analyzes consequences of these changes for institutional reform * Highlights challenges of capacity building for economic liberalization and democratization This is an ideal volume for both students and scholars of African development, as well as anyone interested in the current issues of African governance. Published in association with the African Capacity Building Foundation, this book answers such questions as: What is the relationship between governance and institutional reforms? What is the impact of these reforms on public policy processes? And, what is the link between economic governance and policy research?

Drawing on in-depth empirical research spanning a number of countries in Africa, Booth and Cammack's path-breaking book offers both an accessible overview of issues surrounding governance for development on the continent, whilst also offering a bold new alternative. In doing so, they controversially argue that externally imposed 'good governance' approaches make unrealistic assumptions about the choices leaders and officials are, in practice, able to make. As a result, reform initiatives and assistance programmes supported by donors regularly fail, while ignoring the potential for addressing the causes rather than the symptoms of this situation. In reality, the authors show, anti-developmental behaviours stem from unresolved - yet in principle soluble - collective action problems. Governance for Development in Africa offers a comprehensive and critical examination of the institutional barriers to economic and social progress in Africa, and makes a compelling plea for fresh policy thinking and new ways of envisioning so-called good governance.

This handbook constitutes a single collection of well researched articles and essays on African politics, governance and development from the pre-colonial through colonial to the post-colonial eras. Over the course of these interconnected periods, African politics have evolved with varied experiences across different parts of the continent. As politics is embedded both in the economy and the society, Africa has witnessed some changes in politics, economics, demography and its relations with the world in ways that requires in-depth analysis. This work provides an opportunity for old and new scholars to engage in the universe of the debate around African politics, governance and development and will serve as a ready reference material for students, researchers, policy makers and investors that are concerned with these issues.