Africa's Incomplete Cycles of Development

Kenneth Mahuni is a winner of the newly instituted Amartya Sen Prize 2020 courtesy of the International Economic Association (IEA). He has a Master’s Degree in International Trade and Policy from South Korea and is an independent researcher. He has published research papers in journals focusing on economic issues such as industrial clusters and international trade. This is his first major book contribution and was largely inspired by experiences in visiting countries such as South Korea, India, Malaysia, Tanzania, Botswana among others. Josiah Taru is an anthropologist working in Zimbabwe. His research focuses on the intersection of Pentecostalism, money, wealth, and everyday lives in post-colonial Zimbabwe. Wellington G. Bonga is a researcher in the areas of development, finance, taxation, and social aspects. He has more than fifty research papers published in international journals. He holds a PhD in Economics from Atlantic International University, a MCom Finance from Great Zimbabwe University, a MSc Economics from University of Zimbabwe, a Master of Business Administration from Zimbabwe Open University, a BSc (Hons) Economics degree from University of Zimbabwe, and a Certificate in Practical Labour Law from Cape Town University.

Foreword – Preface – Acknowledgements – List of Abbreviations – Will Africa Ever Catch Up with the Rest of the World? – Perspectives on Development – Underdevelopment of Africa in the Present: The Links – Afrocentric Barriers in Contemporary Times – Regionalism and Development in Africa – Is Africa Ready for Business? – Laying the Foundation, Going Forward – Conclusion – Index.

“Deftly combining optimism with pessimism, this book sees both the future possibilities and challenges of development in Africa. Older ideas and voices merge with newer ones to navigate the throes of globalization, dynamic internal energies, and the synergies of new technologies with African cultural resources.”—Toyin Falola, The Jacob and Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair, Distinguished Teaching Professor, Humanities, University of Texas, Austin

“This is a dense, scintillating, elegant and thought-provoking book on Africa’s development coming from a generation of millennials. To the authors, Africa’s epic journey to sustainable development is one filled with gloom and doom. Despite the vast pessimism in the narrative, the authors also see a modicum of hope for their continent, through proffering an assortment of alternatives which are set to address contemporary Africa’s development conundrum.”—Emmanuel Dumbu, Doctor of Philosophy in Business Management, Regional Programme Coordinator, Zimbabwe Open University

“This pioneering book comes at the most appropriate stage where the global divide of Africa and the developed world needs to be urgently addressed. It lays bare the prescription of reducing poverty and unlocking development in Africa by exploring a wide scope of strategies. The book is a well-researched and incisive account of modern-day Africa and its development challenges which if not attended to, the continent’s dream of development will remain an illusion.”—Calvin Mudzingiri, Department of Economics, University of the Free State, South Africa