Agency and Changing World Views in Africa

Agency and Changing World Views in Africa
Author: Dieter Neubert
Publisher: LIT Verlag Münster
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2014
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3643902360

Current debates on the transnational impact of world views (interpretive frameworks) often refer to the concepts of 'globalization' or 'travelling models, ' with an emphasis on domination or on a process of translation. This volume highlights situations where different world views are confronted with each other within Africa, and the question of how the actors mediate between the two. The conceptual chapters foster a critical view on the normative implications of agency itself, as well as how they reflect on the claim of interpretive hegemonony of human rights, concepts of law, democracy, or neoliberalism. In addition, the book examines the confrontation of world views in particular cases. Essays examine distinct empirical grounds, such as law (e.g. Islamic law, children's rights, law and development, political ideology), and analyze the role of transcendental powers. (Series: Contributions to Research on Africa / Beitrage zur Afrikaforschung - Vol. 40) [Subject: African Studies, Politics, Human Rights, Law

Agency and Changing Worldviews in Africa

Agency and Changing Worldviews in Africa
Author: Dieter Neubert
Publisher: Lit Verlag
Total Pages: 336
Release: 2014-10-01
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 9783825814892

Current debates on the transnational impact of world views (interpretive frameworks) often refer to the concepts of 'globalisation' or 'travelling models' with an emphasis on domination or on a process of translation. This volume highlights situations where different world views are confronted with each other and the question how the actors mediate between the two. The conceptual chapters foster a critical view on the normative implications of agency itself as well as they reflect on the claim of interpretive hegemonony of human rights, concepts of law, democracy, or neoliberalism. In addition, we present contributions that examine the confrontation of world views in particular cases. They are discussed on distinct empirical grounds such as law, e.g. Islamic law, children's rights, law and development, political ideology and analyse the role of transcendental powers. Contributors are: W. van Beek, P. Chabal, H. Dorsch, D. Goetze, S. Howell, N. Oberauer, E. Macamo & D. Neubert, H. Sippel & U. Wanitzek. Dieter Neubert is Professor of Development Sociology at the University of Bayreuth. Christine Scherer is Coordinator of the Bayreuth International Graduate School of African Studies, University of Bayreuth.

African Agency in International Politics

African Agency in International Politics
Author: William Brown
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2013-03-20
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1134057547

This book analyses the rapidly increasing role of African states, leaders and other political actors in international politics in the 21st Century. In contrast to the conventional approach of studying how external actors impacted on Africa’s international relations, this book seeks to open up a new approach, focusing on the impact of African political actors on international politics. It does this by analysing African agency – the degree to which African political actors have room to manoeuvre within the international system and exert influence internationally, and the uses they make of that room for manoeuvre. Bringing together leading scholars from Africa and Europe to explore the role and conception of African Agency, this book addresses a wide range of issues, from relations with western and non-western donors, Africa’s role in the UN and World Trade Organisation, negotiations over climate change, trade agreements with the European Union, regional diplomatic strategies, the character and extent of African state agency, and agency within corporate social responsibility initiatives. African Agency in International Politics will be of interest to scholars and students of Africa’s international relations, African politics, development, geography, diplomacy, trade, the environment, political science and security studies.

Africa in a Changing Global Order

Africa in a Changing Global Order
Author: Malte Brosig
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 234
Release: 2021-08-09
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 303075409X

This book focuses on marginal actors in the global order. Such a perspective is often missing as global order analysis is often biased towards exploring large powerful actors and equating their relations with global order. Such an approach is not only dated but also analytically incomplete. It is because of the increasingly decentred nature of global order, that marginal actors and their relations, tactics, strategies and approaches matter for global order as they matter for these actors. The book starts by providing an analytical framework exploring different policy options for African agency which are located along a nexus of choices ranging from accommodation, engagement to system transformation. The selection of a particular interaction type is argued to be dependent on external opportunity structures in the form of different global orders reaching from competitive polarity to dispersed forms of authority or even non-polarity. In addition to these external conditions, the ability to generate meaningful African agency facilitates a greater role in global order. Empirically, the book covers four policy fields which are peace and security, international criminal justice, economics and trade and COVID-19.

The African Union and African Agency in International Politics

The African Union and African Agency in International Politics
Author: Tshepo Gwatiwa
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2021-12-10
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3030878058

This book examines the role of the African Union in relation to African agency in international politics. It examines the manner and extent to which the African Union exercises two forms of agency—shirking and slippage—in its strategic and collaborative partnerships. The author focuses on four major AU partnerships with the European Union, NATO, the United Nations and US AFRICOM. The books examines African agency in each partnership by exploring the politics and dynamics of each partnership in different aspects: the multilevel engagement, institutionalization, resource contribution and disbursement, as well as preference linkage. It specifically does that by examining African ownership and leadership in all of these aspects. The book highlights the role of agency slack as a survival strategy to escape from the AU’s subaltern position in international politics. It designates the partnership with the European Union as emblematic of African agency; while the others exhibit different forms of agency slack. Partnerships with NATO and the United Nations exhibit shirking, while that with the US AFRICOM exhibits slippage.

Beyond History

Beyond History
Author: Elijah Nyaga Munyi
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2020-08-27
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1786612720

Moving beyond a self-indulgent attitude about Africa’s historical victimhood, the book seeks to capture how African states individually and Africa’s collective institutions (the AU) are providing agency in Africa’s international relations. While African states have been trailblazers in such ideas as ‘The Responsibility to Protect’, as conceived in the African Union Constitutive Act (2001) which preceded the United Nations (UN) Secretary General’s report “In Larger Freedom” (2005) in which the UN adopted the concept, African agency in international relations has not always been captured proactively. This volume seeks to document Africa (and African states) in a state of proactivity as opposed to a reactionary mode of international relations which has long been the case due to the discipline’s heavy concentration on the West. The main themes explored are: African agency in international relations and commerce, agency in Africa’s balancing of big and regional powers, reshaping Africa-EU relations beyond the Cotonou Agreements, Africa and international human rights institutions, African efforts in elections and conflicts in Africa and relationship building among African leaders.

Holding the World Together

Holding the World Together
Author: Nwando Achebe
Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
Total Pages: 393
Release: 2019-04-16
Genre: History
ISBN: 029932110X

Featuring contributions from some of the most accomplished scholars on the topic, Holding the World Together explores the rich and varied ways in which women have wielded power across the African continent, from the precolonial period to the present. Suitable for classroom use, this comprehensive volume considers such topics as the representation of African women, their role in national liberation movements, their experiences of religious fundamentalism (both Christian and Muslim), their incorporation into the world economy, changing family and marriage systems, impacts of the world economy on their lives and livelihoods, and the unique challenges they face in the areas of health and disease. Contributors: Nwando Achebe, Ousseina Alidou, Signe Arnfred, Andrea L. Arrington-Sirois, Henryatta Ballah, Teresa Barnes, Josephine Beoku-Betts, Emily Burril, Abena P. A. Busia, Gracia Clark, Alicia Decker, Karen Flint, December Green, Cajetan Iheka, Rachel Jean-Baptiste, Elizabeth M. Perego, Claire Robertson, Kathleen Sheldon, Aili Mari Tripp, Cassandra Veney

Our Continent, Our Future

Our Continent, Our Future
Author: P. Thandika Mkandawire
Publisher: IDRC
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2014-05-14
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 155250204X

Our Continent, Our Future presents the emerging African perspective on this complex issue. The authors use as background their own extensive experience and a collection of 30 individual studies, 25 of which were from African economists, to summarize this African perspective and articulate a path for the future. They underscore the need to be sensitive to each country's unique history and current condition. They argue for a broader policy agenda and for a much more active role for the state within what is largely a market economy. Finally, they stress that Africa must, and can, compete in an increasingly globalized world and, perhaps most importantly, that Africans must assume the leading role in defining the continent's development agenda.

Africa and the World

Africa and the World
Author: Kornegay Jnr, Francis
Publisher: The Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection (MISTRA)
Total Pages: 472
Release: 2020-02-16
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 063999556X

Africa and the World: Navigating Shifting Geopolitics is one of the first books to analyse the global geopolitical landscape from an African perspective, with a view to the opportunities and challenges facing the African continent. Authors in this edited volume argue for the need to re-imagine Africa’s role in the world. As a cradle of humanity, a historical fountain of profound scientific knowledge, an object of colonial conquest and, today, a collective of countries seeking to pool their sovereignties in order to improve the human condition, Africa has a unique opportunity to advance its own interests. Authors reflect on all these issues; they outline how developments in the global political economy impact on the continent and, inversely, how Africa can develop a strategic perspective that takes into account the dynamics playing out in a fraught global terrain. Central to this evaluation is the notion of ‘island Africa’: a vast island – with resources that extend into the oceans around it – that is a strategic centre by virtue of its geographic location, its endowments and its long-term potential. Authors assert that the positioning of ‘island Africa’ presents unique political, security and geo-economic benefi ts. Yet they also acknowledge that, as has happened historically, these very advantages can serve as a basis for new forms of domination and exploitation. In addition, this volume takes into account the socio-psychological factors that influence how nations of the world receive and interpret the present, and assess prospects for the future. The authors go beyond analysis of what is, to venture concrete proposals on what can be, with Africa exercising its agency. This requires the strengthening of continental integration and cohesion in pursuit of ideals that the African Union has enshrined in Agenda 2063. In this way, Africa would be able to engage – in a systemic and disciplined manner – with external powers to assert the continent’s own interests which, in their framing, are also the interests of humanity. A continent united in both purpose and action can be an active agent in shaping the evolving global order. This volume makes a strong case for precisely such a perspective and contributes to what should be an ongoing effort to analyse geopolitics with Africa as a critical frame of reference.

The Changing Global Order

The Changing Global Order
Author: Madeleine O. Hosli
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 465
Release: 2019-11-22
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 3030216039

This volume offers a comprehensive evaluation of the concept of global order, with a particular emphasis on the role of regional organisations within global governance institutions such as the United Nations. Building from a solid theoretical base it draws upon the expertise of numerous leading international scholars offering a broad array of timely and relevant case studies. These all take into consideration the historical setting, before analysing the contemporary situation and offering suggestions for potential realignments and readjustments that may be witnessed in the future. The volume adopts an interdisciplinary approach when addressing some of the most pressing issues of global governance which our global community must tackle. This presents the readers an opportunity to understand related topics such as political economy, international law, institutions of global governance, in conjunction with the academic field of International Relations (IR). It further helps students and interested readers understand the theoretical and practical foundations to the changing nature of global affairs.