Africa in World Affairs : Politics of Imperialism, the Cold War and Globalisation

Africa finds itself at the centre stage of world politics in the twenty-first century. To truly determine its rising influence and role in world affairs would mean unravelling the politics of imperialism, the Cold War and globalisation. Going beyond Euro-American perspectives, this book presents a comprehensive study of Africa and its role in world politics. Africa in World Affairs : - Closely examines the transition of Africa in its colonial and post-colonial phases; - Explores the intellectual history of modern Africa through liberation struggles, social movements, leaders and thinkers; - Investigates the continent's relationships with former colonial powers such as Britain, France and Portugal; untangles complexities of French neo-colonialism and sheds light on the role of the superpower, such as the USA and major and rising powers like China and India; - Highlights complex and wide-ranging diversities of the region, and the ways in which it continues to negotiate with issues of modernity, racism and globalisation. A core text on Africa and the world, this book will be indispensable for students of African studies, politics and international relations, and history. It will also be a must-read for policymakers, diplomats and government think tanks. Half Title......Page 1 Title Page......Page 3 Copyright Page......Page 4 Dedication......Page 6 Table of contents......Page 8 Maps......Page 10 Preface......Page 12 Abbreviations......Page 15 Introduction......Page 22 References......Page 29 1 Colonial, anti-colonial and post-colonial in continuum......Page 30 Africa: myths and realities......Page 31 Colonialism: phases and nature......Page 33 Colonialism in Africa......Page 35 The British colonial rule......Page 36 Lugard’s defence of imperialism......Page 37 Anti-colonial struggles in British Africa......Page 38 Anglophone Africa: intellectual responses to British rule......Page 39 Kwame Nkrumah (1909–1972)......Page 40 Placing Nkrumah’s political ideas in perspective......Page 41 Julius Nyerere (1922–1999)......Page 43 Emergence of a one-party state......Page 44 Nyerere on nationalism......Page 45 Socialism in Tanzania......Page 46 French colonial rule......Page 47 Frantz Fanon’s emancipatory project......Page 49 Portuguese colonial rule......Page 52 Amilcar Cabral......Page 54 Viewing the colonial /anti-colonial and the post-colonial in continuum......Page 56 Notes......Page 57 References......Page 58 2 The emancipatory winds of Pan-Africanism and African unity movements......Page 60 The genesis of Pan-Africanism......Page 61 Revisiting the contributions of W.E.B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey......Page 62 Négritude as a concept and a movement......Page 64 Senghor’s creative attack on imperialism......Page 65 Césaire’s description of Négritude......Page 66 George Padmore......Page 68 Race, Négritude and Pan-Africanism......Page 69 Insights from Ali Mazrui......Page 70 Race and international relations......Page 71 The Pan-African movement on African soil......Page 73 Radicals of the Casablanca Group......Page 74 The moderates of the Monrovia group......Page 75 Reflections on the OAU......Page 76 The OAU and liberation struggles......Page 77 Human rights......Page 79 Inter-state and intra-state disputes......Page 80 The African Union......Page 81 Pan-Africanism in transition......Page 82 The role of the AU: an assessment......Page 83 References......Page 86 3 South Africa: From racism and apartheid to African Renaissance......Page 89 The intertwined association between imperialism and racism......Page 90 Resistance against apartheid......Page 95 Why understand Mandela?......Page 96 Nelson Mandela: evolving ideas and thoughts......Page 97 Combatting colonialism and racism......Page 99 The communist movement......Page 100 Ubuntu and the TRC......Page 101 South Africa as a sub-imperial state......Page 102 South Africa in Africa......Page 105 The African agenda......Page 106 The African Renaissance......Page 107 Intra-state conflicts in Africa......Page 109 Concluding remarks......Page 110 References......Page 111 4 Exploring the trail of French neo-colonial dominance in Sub-Saharan Africa......Page 114 Preliminary observations......Page 115 Defining neo-colonialism......Page 116 The Franco–African ensemble......Page 117 The French community to independence......Page 120 Understanding the French identity......Page 121 The geography of the French sphere of influence......Page 124 Economic ties......Page 125 France’s security/military-related ties......Page 128 The base at Djibouti......Page 130 The French role in Rwanda......Page 131 Sarkozy’s Africa policy......Page 132 Hollande and the intervention in Mali 2013......Page 133 French military involvement and human rights......Page 134 Concluding remarks......Page 135 References......Page 136 5 The changing complexities of the USA’s imperial policies in Africa......Page 139 Reflections on US-led imperialism......Page 140 Recasting the notion of Empire......Page 143 The significance of Africa in US policy......Page 144 The nature of the state and projects of national integration in Africa......Page 145 Soviet–American rivalry in Africa during the Cold War......Page 146 Liberation struggles in Africa: the case of Angola......Page 148 The USA and apartheid South Africa......Page 150 Rivalry in the Horn of Africa......Page 152 The Cold War and human rights in Africa......Page 153 The USA and Africa under globalisation......Page 154 Placing Africa in context after 9/11......Page 156 The USA’s counter-terror policy initiatives......Page 157 The emergence and relevance of AFRICOM......Page 158 Security and development......Page 160 The energy security of the USA and Africa......Page 161 The socio-economic impact of oil firms in Nigeria......Page 163 Angola: civil war and corruption......Page 164 Concluding remarks......Page 165 References......Page 166 6 Unravelling complex shades in the Sino–African ensemble: Altruistic, neo-imperialist or just a partnership in the development process?......Page 169 The PRC and Africa in the Cold War phase......Page 171 China after Mao Zedong......Page 173 Sino–African ties and Tiananmen Square, 1989......Page 174 The ‘One China’ policy......Page 176 China’s growing economic stakes in Africa......Page 177 Sino–African trade......Page 178 Chinese aid and investments in Africa......Page 180 Aid through FOCAC and other channelising agencies......Page 181 China’s soft power......Page 184 The politico-strategic dimension......Page 185 Threats to the lives of Chinese expatriates......Page 187 China and human rights in Africa......Page 188 Concluding remarks......Page 191 References......Page 192 7 India’s growing presence in Africa: From a developing country to a rising power......Page 196 Developments in the Cold War context......Page 198 Commonalities of interests......Page 199 India and anti-colonial and anti-racist struggles in Africa......Page 200 Situating India in contemporary international relations......Page 202 Social realities in Africa and their relevance to ties with India......Page 203 Indo–African ties: a few preliminary observations......Page 208 The India–Africa Forum Summit......Page 209 Indo–African security ties......Page 210 Promoting security through UN operations......Page 212 India’s perennial quest for energy security......Page 213 Indo–African economic ties......Page 215 The growing magnitude of Indo–African trade......Page 216 Investments and business relations......Page 217 Development cooperation......Page 219 Recasting ties under globalisation......Page 221 Concluding Remarks......Page 222 References......Page 223 The substance of colonialism......Page 226 Resistance to colonial domination from prominent thinkers......Page 227 Towards a new epistemic world......Page 228 On the nature of epistemic constructs......Page 229 Racism, anti-racist struggles and knowledge-building exercises......Page 230 Institutionalisation of the Pan-African movement on African soil......Page 231 Racism and apartheid......Page 232 The sub-imperialism of South Africa......Page 233 French neo-colonialism......Page 234 US-led imperialism......Page 235 Imperialism, China and India......Page 236 The politics of the Cold War......Page 238 Globalisation and Africa......Page 240 Index......Page 244 Africa finds itself at the centre-stage of world politics in the 21st Century. To truly determine its rising influence and role in world affairs would mean unravelling the politics of imperialism, the Cold War and globalisation. Going beyond Euro-American perspectives, this book presents a comprehensive study of Africa and its role in global politics. Africa in World Affairs: -Closely examines the transition of Africa in its colonial and post-colonial phases; - Explores the intellectual history of modern Africa through liberation struggles, social movements, leaders and thinkers; - Investigates the continent's relationships with former colonial powers such as Britain, France, and Portugal; untangles complexities of French neo-colonialism and sheds light on the role of the superpower such as the USA and major and rising powers like China and India; - Highlights complex and wide-ranging diversities of the region, and the ways in which it continues to negotiate with issues of modernity, racism and globalisation. A core text on Africa and the world, this book will be indispensable for students of African studies, politics and international relations, and history. It will also be a must-read for policy-makers, diplomats and government think tanks--Provided by publisher A comprehensive study of Africa as a continent, the book explores the enormous range of diversities in terms of its colonial past, notions of perceiving state and nation, national liberation struggles, foreign policies, levels of economic and technological developments.