African Studies
Utafiti: Journal of African Perspectives
Call for Papers: Utafiti is inviting you to submit your manuscript – any topic in the humanities - for consideration in the next issues.
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This journal promotes critical and worldly debates with Africa at the centre.
New Series: Africa Futures / Afrique Futurs
Published in association with the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Africa Futures features cutting-edge research that critically reflects on some of the big questions relevant to imagining Africa’s future as a place.
Listen to our podcast on Africa and Climate Change
Robin Attfield talks about how Africa finds itself vulnerable to drought but also the flooding of its coastline, among other untoward environmental effects of climate change and civil war.
Throughout the year controversial legislative elections dominated the political landscape. Huge anti-government demonstrations called in vain for political change. The legislative elections of 20 December, boycotted by the major opposition parties, resulted in an easy victory for the ruling party, however without the expected constitutional amendment majority. Therefore, the prime minister and his cabinet were replaced. The local elections, crucial for democratisation at the grass roots but postponed repeatedly since 1987, were again postponed in December sine die. Economic growth remained stable at about 5% per annum. Public investment in infrastructure (e.g., roads, harbour) and increases in agricultural productivity, notably of export crops, were the key drivers of economic growth. Moreover, money laundering, illegal money transfers, and trafficking grew alarmingly. Unemployment and a lack of political change caused increasing migration.