Africa in the Age of Globalisation: New book edited

June 22, 2015

By: Jeff Grischow

In 2015, Tshepo Fellows Edward Shizha and Lamine Diallo edited a book on African development entitled Africa in the Age of Globalisation: Perceptions, Misperceptions and Realities. The book presents new views on globalisation and development in Africa by Tshepo Fellows and other leading scholars in the field. Its main aim is to challenge the accepted notion that Africa must be protected from globalization because of its negative impact on African development. In response, the contributors to this volume demonstrate the complexity of globalization’s effects on the continent. More importantly, they root out African perspectives on globalization and examine African responses – inserting African actors into the discussion as active agents in their own development. This is a very important project and a unique contribution to the literature on Africa and globalisation.

The volume is divided into four sections. Part I (Social and Institutional Development) includes essays on globalization, development and debt in Africa, as well as a chapter on democracy and governance in Senegal. Part II (Technology and Global Partnerships) presents material on NGO partnerships in Senegal and Zimbabwe, as well as a chapter on ‘China-Japan rivalry in Africa’ and an analysis of broadband access in Africa. Part III (Gender, Migration and Settlement) examines a range of topics, including gender identities in a transnational context, the impact of Chinese programs on gender across Africa, and a case study of the Rwanda diaspora in Canada. Part IV (Education and Globalisation in Africa) rounds out the collection with chapters on globalisation’s implications for African pedagogies, higher education, and the question of whether ‘education for globalised labour markets’ is resulting in a ‘brain drain or gain’ for the African continent.

Contributors to the volume include Tshepo Fellows Edward Shizha (Wilfrid Laurier University), Lamine Diallo (Wilfrid Laurier University), Oliver Masakure (Wilfrid Laurier University), Akbar Saeed Wilfrid (Laurier University) and Ali Abdi (University of British Columbia), who are joined by Timothy M. Shaw (University of Massachusetts Boston), Gloria T. Emeagwali (Central Connecticut State University), Kathryn Mossman, Gilbert Tarugarira (Midlands State University, Zimbabwe), Bertha Z. Osei-Hwedie (University of Botswana), Isioma Ile (University of Western Cape, South Africa), Mulugeta F. Dinbabo (University of Western Cape, South Africa), Phil Okeke-Ihejirika (University of Alberta), Charles Kivunja (University of New England), Margaret Sims (University of New England) and Girmaw Abebe Akalu (Addis Ababa University).

Reviews of the book have been excellent. Korbla P. Puplampu (Grant MacEwan University, Alberta) writes that:

‘This book, anchored by a critical reading of historical and contemporary globalisation, analyses and reiterates the essential conditions for Africa’s development agenda. Drawing from local, regional and global contexts, the study rightfully reveals the significance of human agency and the institutional prerequisites for social development in a bold and refreshing manner.’

George J. Sefa Dei of the University of Toronto writes that Africa in the Age of Globalisation offers a most lucid, insightful and a very interesting account on challenges and possibilities of African development in the context of globalisation.’ Dei praises the book’s ‘multidisciplinary gaze on African development,’ and places it among ‘among cutting edge scholarship on Africa.’

For details see the Africa in the Age of Globalisation book description.