The African Economic And Social Crisis

This book illuminates the answers to various major questions on African development related to international trade and finance. It explores the economic interaction between Africa and the now-developed countries (the West) in the past and China today, as well as the legacy of these interactions for Africa’s growth and poverty reduction effort today. In addition, it discusses the implication of this legacy for Africa’s future development, and considers whether lessons can be drawn from this experience in terms of the continent’s future development? By providing in-depth historical and economic analysis conducted in non-technical terms, the book represents a valuable resource for policy makers, researchers, and students, as well as international organizations that focus on African development.

Highly topical with the severe famine again in Sub-Saharan Africa Authors have many previous publications and a lot of experience in this area Book is drawn from an international conference on the responses to crises in Africa, at Stockholm School of Economics, supported by the Swedish International Development Authority

This Book explains why African countries have remained mired in a disastrous economic crisis since the late 1970s. It shows that dynamics internal to African state structures largely explain this failure to overcome economic difficulties rather than external pressures on these same structures as is often argued. Far from being prevented from undertaking reforms by societal interest and pressure groups, clientelism within the state elite, ideological factors and low state capacity have resulted in some limited reform, but much prevarication and manipulation of the reform process, by governments which do not really believe that reform will be effective.

Based on fieldwork in four African countries, this study reveals how African businesses can be key responders to wider social and political crises.

African families face serious crises today. They are under economic, demographic and political pressures of all kinds; yet, families are not mere hapless victims of global change. They are proactive, resilient agents and creators of change. This volume studies global and national transformation from the point of view of families in local communities. Contributors are from Africa, North America, and Europe, and provide socially and historically based, culturally rich, multigenerational, and comparative perspectives on family life in Africa today. The essays explore contemporary change in African families, and consequences for children and parents, the elderly, gender roles, moral values, fertility, health (HIV and nutrition), and economic development. Ultimately, despite desperate economic, sociohistorical, demographic and political circumstances, African families remain vitally important for social and psychological support throughout an individual's life span.