Debating African Issues

William G. Moseley is DeWitt Wallace Professor of Geography, and Director of the Food, Agriculture and Society Program, at Macalester College, USA, where he teaches courses on human geography, agriculture, environment, development and Africa. Kefa M. Otiso is Professor of Geography and Graduate Coordinator for the School of Earth, Environment and Society (SEES) at Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, USA. He’s also the founding president of the US-based Kenya Scholars and Studies Association (KESSA).

Chapter 1: Introduction to Debating African Issues: Conversations Under the Palaver Tree William G. Moseley and Kefa M. Otiso Section I: Historical and Global Context Chapter 2: Did European trade with Africans (including the slave trade) prior to 1700 damage or ruin economies on the continent? Toby Green and John Thornton Chapter 3: Was Africa more peaceful and prosperous prior to European contact? Mickie Mwanzia Koster and Charles Otoigo Choti Chapter 4: Did colonialism distort African development? Segbegnon Mathieu Gnonhossou and Ogechi Anyanwu Chapter 5: Is Africa’s border geography problematic? Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni, Innocent Moyo and Marina Ottaway Section II: Development Issues Chapter 6: Is Africa truly rising? Thomas Jayne, Richard Mkandawire and Francis Owusu Chapter 7: Are foreign land acquisitions the latest form of neo-colonialism in Africa? Kerstin Nolte and Samuel Ledermann Chapter 8: Is China better than other outside powers in fostering African economic transformation? Kwame Adovor Tsikudo and Pádraig Carmody Chapter 9: Are cities engines of economic development in Africa? Ben Ofori-Amoah and Sarah Smiley Section III: Agriculture, Food and the Environment Chapter 10: Are parks the best way to protect African wildlife? Moses Mosonsieyiri Kansanga, Daniel Kpienbaareh and Rachel DeMotts Chapter 11: Are Africans adapting well to climate change? Muthoni Masinde and Julius R. Atlhopheng Chapter 12: Is the New Green Revolution approach the best way to address hunger in Africa? Glenn Denning and Hanson Nyantakyi-Frimpong Chapter 13: Does scholarship on African food insecurity have a rural bias? Jane Battersby and Eunice Njogu Section IV: Society, Health and Culture Chapter 14: Is modern African education counterproductive? Iddah Otieno and Apollos Nwauwa Chapter 15: Is the focus on the development of the girl child counterproductive? Rose Adhiambo Nyaondo and Wandia M. Njoya Chapter 16: Are Africa’s health resources overly focused on HIV/AIDS? Joseph Oppong and Kwadwo Adu Boakye Chapter 17: Is African religiosity a hindrance to development? John Taden and Samuel Zalanga Section V: Politics, Governance and Security Chapter 18: Is multi-party democracy the best form of governance in African countries? Nic Cheeseman and George Ayittey Chapter 19: Is the growing foreign military presence in many African countries counter-productive? Brendon J. Cannon and Andrews Atta-Asamoah Chapter 20: Do more women in politics lead to better governance in African countries? Mary Njeri Kinyanjui and Pamela Abbott Chapter 21: Has the proliferation of cell phones strengthened social movements in Africa? Frankline Matanji and Tanja Bosch