The article draws attention to the consequences of simplistically equating gender, sex and women when doing peacebuilding. Drawing on the ambivalent nature of security architecture interventions from the African continent, I make a case for keeping a variety of conceptual approaches to gender mainstreaming in mind in order to avoid a narrow fixation on adding women. I show through selected examples

The past two decade has witnessed a nuanced approach to addressing the institutional and normative responses to Africa’s unending security challenges, particularly the African Union’s mandate to create the African Standby Force (ASF). The growing infeasibility of operationalising the ASF has thus stimulated the conception of the South African initiated African Capacity for Immediate Response to Crises

This article examines the impact of institutional quality on bilateral trade flow between Malaysia and selected 25 African Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries. Four institutional qualities were selected from World Governance Indicators with other trade predictors from the period from 1985 to 2016. Using gravity model of trade and Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood estimation method

Nicholas Rush Smith, Contradictions of Democracy: Vigilantism and Rights in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Oxford University Press, New York, 2019, p. 264. ISBN-10: 0190847190; ISBN-13: 978-0190847197.

This article explores the salient of anti-Chinese sentiments in Africa and how it has been utilised or materialised as a populist strategy in election campaigns. The contention herein is that anti-Chinese populism has emerged from the rising anti-Chinese sentiments and is utilised primarily as a rhetorical strategy to gain electoral support. In particular, political actors mostly seeking power are

Mario J. Azevedo (Ed.), Africana Studies: A Survey of Africa and the African Diaspora (4th Ed). Carolina Academic Press, Durham, NC, 2019, pp. 743, $56.70 (Hardcover), $52.24 (eBook). ISBN: 159460732X

The article examines the impact of digital technologies as emerging platforms for social activism in sub-Saharan Africa. Even though the African continent still lags behind in smartphone ownership and internet connectivity compared to other regions of the world, there is enough evidence to suggest that online-based movements have fundamentally transformed political engagement in Africa. This article

In this article an alternative thinking and methodological approach for the study of regional integration is proposed, addressing the limitations of classical regional integration theories and the new regionalism approach. A ‘dominatarian’ theory is introduced as an alternative analytical framework that exposes meanings attributed to a social force called ‘personness’, and how regions could be (re)constructed

Ashwin Desai, Wentworth: The Beautiful Game and the Making of Place. Pietermaritzburg, University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2020, pp. 256, ZAR340. ISBN 9781869144463.

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is an organisation that aims to facilitate cooperation between the governments of its Member States through a set of goals. SADC uses protocols as an instrument of coordination of its Member States on Transport, Communications and Meteorology endeavours to harmonise various aspects of traffic and transportation in the region. The researcher relies on

Joseph Yinka Fashagba, Ola-Rotimi Matthew Ajayi and Chiedo Nwankwor, The Nigerian National Assembly, Springer International Publishing, 2019, 198 pp., €83.19 (Hardcover), $67.40 (eBook-PDF), $67.40 (eBook-EPUB), ISBN 978-3-030-11904-1, ISBN 978-3-030-11905-8.

Sola Adesola and Feargal Brennan (Eds), Energy in Africa Policy, Management and Sustainability, Palgrave Macmillan, Cham, Switzerland, 2018, pp. 247, Hardcover €114.39, Softcover €114.39, eBook €93.08, ISBN-978-3-319-91300-1; ISBN-978-3-319-91301-8; ISBN-978-3-030-08217-8.

The outbreak of political conflicts within countries has been a source of immense human suffering. The serious repercussions and challenges posed by these conflicts direct one to identify the factors that can be political or economic in nature for the outbreak of these domestic conflicts. The present study, without undermining the role of political factors, nevertheless considers economic factors in

Gennet Zewide, Resistance, Freedom and Empowerment: The Ethiopian Women’s Struggle, Concept Publishing Company, 2014, 268 pp., Hardcover ₹900, ISBN: 978-9351250289.

The article acknowledges that Lesotho governance has been characterised by unstable democracy since its attainment of independence in 1966, which makes civil society and other democratic institutions unable to pursue their roles as expected. The proposed solution to overcome predicaments that Lesotho faces was to have active and vibrant democratic institutions such as civil societies, ombudsman, political

India and Africa have experienced the rapid expansion of bilateral trade during the last two decades. The India–Africa trade is understudied in general and in the agriculture sector. Very few considerable efforts have been made to study the agro-trade restrictions between both the economies. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to empirically identify the recent evidence of non-tariff measures (NTMs)

Over recent years, few areas of international development research have seen as much transformation as those relating to energy access and low carbon transitions. Ghana, amongst other African economies, has seen an increase in energy demand surpassing the supply of energy in the last decade. The incorporation of the incorporation of renewable energy into the mix is, therefore, seen as a significant

This paper aimed at investigating the rationalities, Challenges and prospects of Africa Union institutional reforms agendas. The paper has been analysed by using the documentary source of data. The institutional reforms of the African Union (AU) have gained significant prominence in recent years within the framework of promoting regional integration and strengthening the African collective action.

Tsega Etafa, The Origins of Ethnic Conflict in Africa: Politics and Violence in Darfur, Oromia, and the Tana Delta, African Histories and Modernities. Switzerland AG: Springer Nature, 2019, p. 271, Hardback, ISBN: 978-3-030-10539-6.

John Aerni-Flessner, Dreams for Lesotho: Independence, Foreign Assistance, and Development. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2018, p. 284, Hardcover $55.00, eBook (PDF) $43.99, eBook (EPUB) $43.99, ISBN-10: 0268103615; ISBN-13: 978-0268103613.

This article discusses the application of the resource mobilisation theory (RMT) to clarify the activities of certain key socio-political movements in Egypt. It contends that the political movements in Egypt have utilised social networking sites (SNSs) as a tool for mobilising people and co-ordinating anti-regime activities. It deals with certain political groups prior to and throughout the revolution

John Aerni-Flessner, Dreams for Lesotho: Independence, Foreign Assistance, and Development. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 2018, 284 pp., ISBN-10: 0268103615; ISBN-13: 978-0268103613.

Stephen R. Davis, The ANC’s War Against Apartheid: Umkhonto we Sizwe and the Liberation of South Africa. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2018, pp. 268, $35.00, Index, ISBN: 9780253032294.

The last 25 years have seen Economic Community of West African States, through the use of various norms, structures and protocols, make the promotion of security and the implementation of humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect (R2P) important aspects of the political landscape in the sub-region. The article argues that despite the great strides made by the Economic Community of

Africa is suffering from neo-colonialism for the same reasons that it suffered from colonialism. Neo-colonialism is the regressive impact of unregulated forms of aid, trade and foreign direct investment; and the collaboration of African leaders with foreign leaders to ensure that the interests of both are met with little concern for the development, sustainability and poverty reduction and wellbeing

India and Mozambique both have a long history of friendly relations that have been built upon traditional linkages dating back to the pre-colonial period. There has been the exchange of Indian merchants and businessmen to Mozambique even before Vasco da Gama set sail for Africa and India. Due to the migration based on trading, the Indians have settled in Mozambique as traders. These ancient people-to-people

With the increasing spread of information technology in Africa, digitalisation of elections is gradually becoming a popular phenomenon in the continent. However, there has not been sufficient awareness on the potential dangers in the process of digitalising elections. In this regard, this article provides analysis of the connection between the use of technological model in elections and security using

The study examined Kenya’s transport infrastructure by assessing strengths, opportunities, challenges and initiatives aimed at enhancing existing systems and mitigating gaps towards more connectivity, mobility and reduced costs. Specific objectives of the study included evaluating the current state of transport infrastructure in Kenya, examining milestones in Kenya’s transport infrastructure development

In recent years, the West African sub-region has been faced with a wave of terrorism, resulting in the death of hundreds of people, destruction of public and private properties, and the displacement of millions. In response, states and multilateral institutions within and outside the sub-region have developed and introduced different mechanisms to address the issue. This article, however, investigates

The purpose of this article is to review the dynamics of natural gas resources in Africa and evaluate how it can help solve the power challenges of the continent. This article develops from a descriptive analysis and desk review on natural gas and power. The key finding is that despite the increased discovery of natural gas in Africa, it has had minimal impact on power production. This study provides

Femke Brandt and Grasian Mkodzongi (Eds.), Land Reform Revisited: Democracy, State Making and Agrarian Transformation in Post-Apartheid South Africa. Leiden: Brill, 2018, pp. Iii + 288, ₹49.90/USD 59.00, Paperback, ISBN 978-90-04-36210-9.

Arndt Graf and Azirah Hashim, African–Asian Encounters: New Co-operations and New Dependencies. The Netherlands: Amsterdam University Press, 2017, 245 pp, ISBN 9789462984288.

Matters of satisfaction with and support for democracy have been at the centre of discussion regarding the survival and quality of democracy in Africa since the early 1990s. While the dominant discourse claims that support for democracy keeps on increasing with time, African countries have somewhat deviated from this path. Thus, African countries have had decreasing levels of satisfaction with democracy

This article interrogates the effectiveness of the requisites for constitutional provisions in respect of the promotion of accountability and good governance in South Africa and Nigeria. The article notes that the drafters of the Constitutions of the two countries made sufficient provisions for the regulation and control of the executive and legislative activities in a manner that could guarantee effective

Institutionalised state corruption has morphed into a phenomenon entitled state capture in South Africa. State capture is the repurposing of the country’s institutions towards private individual interests. In the process public interest is jettisoned in favour of private material gain for select connected individuals in the private and public sector. The issue of state capture dominated public debate

This article examines the politics of public policies characterised by increased securitisation of Nigeria’s national boundary from 2014 to 2017. While the regulation appears on paper to discourage transborder crime, capital outflow and sustain a favourable balance of payment, the existing armoury of West African border literature argues otherwise. What is new in the transborder dynamics of West Africa

This article provides key reasons behind Nelson Mandela’s call for a negotiated settlement of the Congolese conflict and its critics. Mandela regarded a negotiated settlement of the Congolese conflict as a viable means to pave a way for the political governance of the Congolese society conducive for the advancement of human rights, democracy and development of its people. Central to his policy approach

Henning Melber (ed.), The Rise of Africa’s Middle Class: Myths, Realities and Critical Engagements. London: Zed Books, 2016, pp. 219, $34 (paper), ISBN 978-1-78360-713-6

In this study, the previous as well as current dynamics of Ethio-Sudan relation, conflict or cooperation over the hydro-politics of the Nile had been critically assessed. To this effect, using case study research design, relevant theories of hydro-politics had been employed. The finding reveals that the implementation of hegemonic paradigm by Egypt influenced Ethiopia and the Sudan to pursue competing

Pamila Gupta, The Relic State: St. Francis Xavier and the Politics of Ritual in Portuguese India. Series: Studies in Imperialism. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2014, 280 pp., ₤75.00 (Hardcover), Illustrations, Index, ISBN: 978-0-7190-9061-5.

Daniel Allen Butler, The First Jihad: The Battle for Khartoum and the Dawn of Militant Islam. Oxford: Casemate Publishers, 2018, 176 pp., $ 10.95, ISBN 978 1 61200 593 5.

The article examines the Economic Community of West African States’ (ECOWAS) protocol on free movement and the challenges of human trafficking in West Africa. It investigates the implication of ECOWAS protocol on free movement on human trafficking in West Africa. The data used for the study were obtained through secondary sources. The finding shows that protocol on the free movement of a person is

Leadership and leadership research should be viewed in a particular context. The contextual lens is largely neglected when Afrocentric leadership in organisations is framed. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the qualitative assertions that there are distinctive characteristics that underpin Afrocentric leadership in organisations can be authenticated by an empirical study conducted in

In the past century, Africa has been visibly absent from the world’s growth map. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, however, many countries in Africa have guided their way into achieving impressive economic growth. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) identified six countries from Africa—Rwanda, Mozambique, Nigeria, Angola, Chad and Ethiopia—in the top ten fastest growing economies of the world

Since April 2015, Burundi has been in a state of political crisis precipitated by the decision of President Pierre Nkurunziza to seek a new term as President. Opponents of his decision argued that the Arusha Agreement that ended the Burundi Civil War in 2000 prohibits anyone from serving as president more than two terms of 5 years each. The Arusha Agreement, it was envisaged would provide the basis

Bridgland Fred, The War for Africa: Twelve Months That Transformed a Continent, Casemate Publishers, Pennsylvania, USA, 2017 New Edition, 360 pp., US $ 24.50 (Hardback), ISBN: 9781612004921.

Stig Jarle Hansen (Ed.), Al-Shabaab in Somalia: The History and Ideology of a Militant Islamist Group, Oxford University Press, New York, 2013, 208 pp., $37.50, ISBN: 978-0-199-32787-4.

John P Cann, AFRICA@WAR 27: Portuguese Commandoes: Feared Insurgent Hunters 1961–1974, Helion and Company, England, 2017, 64 pp., US $19.65, ISBN: 9781911096320.

This article examines international reactions and actions on militancy and insurgency in Nigeria since 1999. It employs historical method of data collection and adopts descriptive and analytical approaches of analysis. It has utilised various sources, mainly secondary literature which include journal articles, books, newspaper reports, reports of international organisations and agencies. The article

Hermann Giliomee, Hermann Giliomee Historian: An Autobiography, Tafelberg, Cape Town, 2016, 344 pp., ₹340 (Paperback), ISBN: 97806 24066804.

The role of Nigeria in conflict resolution and peacekeeping efforts in Africa and other parts of the world cannot be overemphasised. The country has contributed more than 200,000 soldiers to peacekeeping missions around the world since independence. These efforts have earned it much respect in the council of nations and the recognition as being the ‘giant of Africa’. Also, Nigeria has been regarded

Generally, Nigerian political parties in the present republic have been hampered by crisis of internal democracy thus undermining their political leadership recruitment function. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a good example of one of these Nigerian political parties that lacks internal democracy. In fact, PDP was a leviathan. The 2015 Election symbolised a contest between David and Goliath

This article examines the implementation of India’s South-South Co-operation (SSC) principles in the health component of one of its flagship project: the Pan-African e-Network. Data are combined from the few available studies as well as from fieldwork in Mozambique, including interviews and policy documents. After scrutinizing the capacity building approach and the conception, design and implementation

A. Carl LeVan (Ed.), Dictators and Democracy in African Development: The Political Economy of Good Governance in Nigeria, Cambridge, New York, 2015, pp. 282, US$ 31.99, ISBN: 978-1-107-08114-7

The article assesses the use of ethnocentrism as a political strategy in Ghana’s electoral politics and the threat it poses to Ghana’s democracy. It focuses on the strategic ethno-political communication employed by politicians to wield voter support and how voters behave at polls. It reveals that prior to independence Ghana’s political parties were predominantly formed along ethnic and regional dimensions

Leopold Scholtz, The Battle of Cuito Cuanavale: Cold War Angolan Finale, 1987–1988, Helion and Co., London, 2016, 64 pp., US $13, ISBN 9781909384620.

Joost Fontein, Remaking Mutirikwi: Landscape, Water and Belonging in Southern Zimbabwe, James Currey, Suffolk, 2015, xxiv+340 pp., £45.00 (Hardback), ISBN: 978-1-84701-112-1.

Koos Stadler (Ed.), Recce: Small Team Missions behind Enemy Lines, Oxford and Philadelphia, Casemate Publishers, 2015, pp. 352, ₹250, ISBN 978-161200-404-4.

Since Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980, the Christian community was largely silent about Zimbabwe’s economic and political quagmire. However, the country’s growing political and economic turmoil drew the Zimbabwean Christian community into direct confrontation with Mugabe’s administration. The community experienced political awakening after decades of political indifference, passivity and silence. In

Africa–Asia relations are a controversial subject at the moment and many authors have attempted to shed light on what the renewed relations between Africa and Asia entail. Some have denounced what they see as a ‘New Scramble for Africa’, while others have identified the possibilities offered by these new South–South relations and have drawn attention to the impact of African agency in this new constellation