African Economic Development: Evidence, Theory, Policy

Main author: Cramer, Christopher
Other authors: Sender, John
Oqubay, Arkebe
Format: Authored Books           
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id eprints-32338
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description Unevenness and inequalities form a central fact of African economic experiences. This book challenges conventional wisdoms about economic performance and possible policies for economic development in African countries, using the striking variation in economic performance as a starting point. African Economic Development: Evidence, Theory, and Policy highlights not only difference between countries, but also variation within countries. It focuses on issues relating to gender, class, and ethnic identity, such as neo-natal mortality, school dropout, and horticultural and agribusiness exports. Variations in these areas point to opportunities for changing perfomance, reducing reducing inequalities, learning from other policy experiences, and escaping the ties of structure and the legacies of a colonial past. African Economic Development rejects teleological illusions and Eurocentric prejudice, criticizing a range of orthodox and heterodox economists for their cavalier attitude to evidence. Instead, it shows that seeing the contradictions of capitalism for what they are - fundamental and enduring - may help policy officials protect themselves against the misleading idea that development can be expected to be a smooth, linear process, or that it would be if certain impediments were removed. Drawing on decades of research and policy experience, this book combines careful use of available evidence from a range of African countries with economic insights to make the policy case for specific types of public sector investment.
format Authored Books
author Cramer, Christopher
author_facet Cramer, Christopher
Sender, John
Oqubay, Arkebe
authorStr Cramer, Christopher
author_letter Cramer, Christopher
author2 Sender, John
Oqubay, Arkebe
author2Str Sender, John
Oqubay, Arkebe
title African Economic Development: Evidence, Theory, Policy
publisher Oxford University Press
publishDate 2020
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/32338/