(Re)thinking Development and Future Building in Africa

Africa is transforming faster than ever amidst promises of greater connectivity, prosperity, and rising living standards. But while that sounds positive, in 2023, over 75% of the UN Defined Least Developed Countries are located within Africa. For many people, the fruits of development remain elusive with promises of a bright future experienced unevenly. At the same time, Chinese activities in Africa have increased enormously in both breadth and speed in the last decade, with China’s flagship Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) now reaching its tenth anniversary. Arguably, China could be said to be a source of opportunity, anxiety, or both simultaneously. The rise of China is also an excellent opportunity to reflect on what this means for longer-established forms of development theory and activity and how people make sense of and build futures in this fast-changing landscape.

As ASAUK 2024 engages with themes of generation and regeneration, this stream provides an excellent opportunity to think again about development, what it means to different people, whom it serves, and how it has changed (or not) over time. Contributors to this stream are encouraged to reflect on and think of all aspects of development with fresh eyes. Possible contributions could be although are not limited to questions such as: What assumptions underpin development activities in Africa, and how are they contested? How do development activities impact different people, and how has this changed over time? How and where is China-backed development in Africa really new, and does this matter? This is an interdisciplinary stream, and contributors from all backgrounds are welcome.

Please be in touch to discuss your idea.

Phill Wilcox – Bielefeld University, Germany
phill.wilcox@uni-bielefeld.de