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The State and Development in Southern Africa: A Comparative Analysis of Botswana and Mauritius with Angola, Malawi and Zambia

by Osei Hwedi Introduction African countries inherited economies that are backward, skewed and underdeveloped as a result of Western colonial rule. Since independence, African states have embarked on the transformation of inherited economic structures with varying degrees of success. The debate about the role of the state in development in Africa reached its peak in […]

Globalizing Land and Food in Zimbabwe: Implications for Southern Africa

by Carol Thompson Abstract For political and economic crises as severe as Zimbabwe, domestic causes are central, but the conflict in Zimbabwe is not simply internal; it is regional and international and in that sense, it is a post (political) apartheid struggle. Taking an international perspective, this article delineates the context and the constraints on […]

A Question of Intervention: American Policymaking in Sierra Leone and the Power of Institutional Agenda Setting

by Christopher R. Cook Abstract This article is an examination of American foreign policy towards Sierra Leone in 1999 and 2000. Hopefully it will contribute to the literature of Sierra Leone while shedding theoretical light on types of humanitarian intervention. It seeks to answer two questions about American policy: First, why did the Clinton White […]

When Necessity Begets Ingenuity: E-Waste Scavenging as a Livelihood Strategy in Accra, Ghana

by Martin Oteng-Ababio Abstract This paper describes how due to lack of formal job opportunities, e-waste scavenging has emerged as a major livelihood (survival) strategy for a rapidly growing urban population. It documents how the process has been fueled by neo-liberal economic policies adopted since 1983 that not only failed to create a “vibrant urban economy” […]