Welcome to YSI Africa Working group!

The Africa Working Group aims to provide young scholars with an interdisciplinary platform for interaction on debates about the past, present and future of African economies. The fluid nature of the global and regional villages, creates various perspectives on the diverse cultural, political and social statuses of various countries. For this reason, the unique experiences of the 54 African countries on the continent has often been misunderstood. These dynamics raise key issues for discussion, as Achille Mbembe rightly notes that ‘speaking rationally about Africa is not something that has ever come naturally.’ He points out the dilemma faced when studying the African continent is that even once we recognise that Africa has been studied in a problematic way, it is difficult to study it in a new way, in a way that does not repeat and perpetuate the same prejudices ‘under some other guise’. This then calls for an examination and thorough analysis of the African story and the portrayal of the same in various spaces. Similarly, it calls for rethinking the dominant image of Africa as a continent by contextualizing the debates into case studies and localized themes thereby examining the diversity of Africa. Admittedly, a range of challenges on the continent have led to high incidents of poverty and inequality, uneven development, and under employment of the highly youthful population. The Working Group thus endeavors to create a platform that advances discussion, collaborations and debates among scholars whose research focuses on Africa in line with New Economic Thinking. This working group is dedicated to discussing the realities across the continent as well as Africa’s integration and/or marginalization in the world economy. The Working Group thus seeks to create a vibrant platform that contributes to debates on the development of Africa, within the broader context of its history and social space, using various approaches. This will be achieved through online and in person workshops , seminars and conferences . The group also envisages the provision of opportunities for collaborations with other YSI working groups, academic publishers, research bodies and strategic partners in order to achieve a robust conversation around Africa’s development. We look forward to welcoming you to our working group. Please join us if you are a scholar researching on the African continent. We welcome suggestions and proposals on our activities, either through YSD or direct contact with the coordinators. Coordinators: Herbert Mba Aki, Petronella Munhenzva, Geraldine Sibanda Twitter: @YSI_Africa