Theorising development in Africa : towards building an African framework of development / Munyaradzi Mawere.

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Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-199).

What development is and is not -- Development and underdevelopment in Africa: through the lenses of theory -- The blame game and politics of development in Africa -- Development, underdevelopment and globalisation in Africa -- Poverty and inequality: unpacking the pragmatics of poverty and inequality in Africa -- Development, agriculture and the diffusion of technology in rural Africa -- Gender and development in Africa -- Social policy and development in Africa -- Climate change and environmental management strategies in Africa -- Building blocks of development: towards a framework of development for Africa.

How come Africa is so underdeveloped when it is one of the richest continents on earth? Indeed, Africa is a paradox: it is poor and rich at the same time! Resource-wise, Africa is among the top richest continents in the world, yet development-wise it is the poorest of all continents. This paradox desperately needs comprehensive theoretical unpacking and rethinking if Africa is to achieve breakthroughs to the multifaceted development-related problems that have haunted it since the beginning of its unequal encounters with Europe. Regrettably, current Eurocentric development theories fall short on several fronts. The need for a comprehensive body of knowledge -- theories and models -- from the perspective of Africans persists in urgency. The present volume is an attempt to theorise Africa's [under-]development with a view to provide a sustainable enduring framework of operations that will arrest the elusive predicament of the continent while taking it forward from its current position of passivity. It rethinks and re-imagines a number of externally imposed problematic mechanisms used (un- )consciously in Africa, with the intention to raise awareness and foster critical thinking in scholars and scholarship on African development. With its predicament-oriented theorising, the book is a pacesetter on how to think and research Africa's [under-]development. It is also an invaluable asset for social scientists, policy makers, development practitioners, civil society activists and politicians.

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