African Studies and Research Forum Series – serie

This book discusses how Africa has been understood and defined across various academic fields. Building on the influential works of Valentin-Yves Mudimbe and more recent studies by Axel Fleisch and Rhiannon Stephens, this book bridges previous limitations by offering a comprehensive, interdisciplinary analysis. Each chapter examines the conceptualization of Africa within a specific discipline, balancing local and global perspectives, blending competing viewpoints, and providing suggestions for future research.The book will be essential for students, scholars, and researchers interested in a better understanding of the diverse and complex narratives that shape our knowledge of Africa and its intellectual heritage.

This book discusses how Africa has been understood and defined across various academic fields. Building on the influential works of Valentin-Yves Mudimbe and more recent studies by Axel Fleisch and Rhiannon Stephens, this book bridges previous limitations by offering a comprehensive, interdisciplinary analysis. Each chapter examines the conceptualization of Africa within a specific discipline, balancing local and global perspectives, blending competing viewpoints, and providing suggestions for future research.The book will be essential for students, scholars, and researchers interested in a better understanding of the diverse and complex narratives that shape our knowledge of Africa and its intellectual heritage.

This book examines the peacebuilding efforts in Côte d’Ivoire after the 2002–2011 civil war, highlighting the complex dynamics of conflict resolution and social cohesion in fragile states. It analyzes historical, political, and socio-economic contexts, and provides practical insights to address inequalities and strengthen sustainable peace in Africa and beyond.The book further scrutinizes UN-supported programs and various conflict resolution strategies, including mediation, negotiation, arbitration, and military intervention, as they are applied in Côte d’Ivoire and other African contexts. Key chapters explore the root causes of Ivorian conflicts, such as economic disparities, ethnic tensions, and political power struggles, and discuss the challenges of disarmament and economic instability. The book highlights the importance of community dialogue, reconciliation, and local leadership, especially women, to advance harmony and address social inequalities. It critically analyzes external influences and evaluates international and regional peacebuilding strategies. The book will appeal to students, scholars, and researchers of political science, international relations, African studies, security studies, and the social sciences, as well as policy-makers interested in a better understanding of peacebuilding in Côte d’Ivoire, Africa, and beyond.

This monograph offers a detailed examination of the role of Chinese infrastructure development aid and foreign direct investment (FDI) in the economic growth of three key African countries: Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The author argues that a significant positive correlation exists between Chinese infrastructure aid and investment and the GDP growth in these countries. Furthermore, the author examines whether a dependency relationship exists between Chinese infrastructure aid and FDI in these nations. This point is crucial as it explores these economies' long-term sustainability and autonomy, questioning whether they are becoming over-reliant on Chinese aid and FDI. Using comparative analysis, the book discusses the impacts of China's infrastructure projects across both economic and social dimensions. This work is an essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners who wish to understand the intricacies of China's involvement in Africa. It contributes to informed decision-making and policy formulation by shedding light on the impact of development through a well-rounded comparative perspective. The insights provided will benefit those involved in development economics, international relations, public policy, and African studies.

This monograph provides a transdisciplinary exploration of postcolonial African development and sovereignty. Situated in the broader context of Africa’s post-independence condition, where colonialism’s formal end gave way to neocolonial realities, the book argues that understanding this condition requires not only historical investigation but philosophical reorientation. Chapters span a wide analytical terrain; from colonial-era legal and political structures to the ongoing economic and digital colonization of the continent. By threading together discussions on corruption, religion, youth movements, gender, Pan-Africanism, and trade, the book constructs a holistic and intersectional narrative of Africa’s unfinished liberation. The author builds on the works of Frantz Fanon, Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, Samir Amin, Walter Rodney, and Achille Mbembe, proposing that the path forward lies in epistemic sovereignty, cultural reclamation, economic delinking, and continental unity.Merging African history, political theory, cultural studies, and global economics to provide a holistic critique and vision of Africa’s postcolonial condition and potential, this volume will be of interest to students and scholars of African studies, philosophy, postcolonial studies, development studies, sociology, and global studies, practitioners in African Union institutions, NGOs, and think tanks, as well as anyone generally interested in African liberation discourse.