In this tribute to Abdul Raufu Mustapha, his friend and comrade Jibrin Ibrahim remembers a scholar and activist who devoted his life to the burning issues of poverty, inequality and the crumbling social order, all of which have wreaked havoc on Nigerian society. ...
In an analysis of the Kenyan elections, Nic Cheeseman, Gabrielle Lynch and Justin Willis argue that the results look much more credible than any since 2002. Yet the country is still deeply divided, and with an opposition weakened by electoral loss, and with diminished credibility....
Ken Post, who died earlier this year, was a restless Marxist, constantly rethinking questions of theory, rebellion and protest. He worked in and wrote about Africa, the Caribbean and South East Asia – uncovering histories of revolt and struggle. David Seddon praises a rebel who...
In a review of an important recent exhibition in Nairobi, Kenya, Craig Halliday writes that ‘Sensing Nairobi’ (8-30 June, 2017) sought to capture, reflect and define Nairobi’s ambiguous urban landscape....
Our latest blogpost on Rwanda’s development myths asks how can total GDP growth average between 6% and 8% annual growth, with incomes in the agricultural sector decreasing for a substantial proportion of farmers. Something is amiss in Rwanda’s GDP growth figures. How has the country...
In a review of an important recent book on the origins of capitalism, Andy Wynne argues that the authors provide an important introduction towards a truly global history of capitalism. The development of capitalism in Western Europe was possible because of its ‘backwardness’ and with...
Heike Becker writes about the recent European Conference on African Studies (ECAS) in Basel, Switzerland, the 7th of the now well-established bi-annual gatherings of the European African Studies network AEGIS. Becker observes that epistemological queries were key to the conference, with important questions raised about...
Peter Waterman, who died on 16 June, remained committed until the very last to internationalism and the key role that labour must play in any transformation to a post-capitalist order. In this obituary for roape.net Peter Cole writes how Waterman appreciated, better than most, the...
David Seddon reviews the recent political and economic history of Niger. The country has long been one of the world’s largest uranium producers; supplying France with uranium ore for its nuclear industry. Since 2011, it has also started producing, refining and exporting oil. Output is...
Continuing the debate about Rwandan poverty statistics, Sam Desiere argues that with an inflation rate of 30% - which is more in line with ‘real’ inflation - poverty has increased in Rwanda. His findings raise concerns, not only for Rwanda’s (rural) policies (and poor), but...