So many ‘Africanists’, so few Africans: reshaping our understanding of ‘African politics’ through greater nuance and amplification of African voices

Zack Zimbalist

Review of African Political Economy, 2020, vol. 47, issue 166, 621-637

Abstract: Who produces knowledge on ‘African politics’? Within political science, our understanding of politics in Africa is overwhelmingly shaped by non-Africans who spend most of their time far removed from Africa. This reality has serious consequences for the academic community, policymakers, students and citizens across the world. Using a new data set of undergraduate syllabi and doctoral exam reading lists, this article sheds further light on this knowledge production and instruction problem and provides suggestions for how we might redress this problem. In doing so, we can generate more nuanced understandings of governance dynamics that are centred on African voices and perspectives.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1080/03056244.2020.1840972

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