China and India in Africa – Neither better nor worse than the West
The Rise of China & India in Africa, edited by Professor Fantu Cheru and Dr. Cyril Obi, is the first title in the exciting new book series Africa Now, published by the Nordic Africa Institute and London-based Zed Books. The book will be launched by Fantu Cheru at a seminar of the African Institute for Economic development and Planning in Dakar, Senegal, on Friday 12 March.
One interesting conclusion of the book is that China and India neither behave worse or better in Africa compared to the West – they are simply not very different.
Read an article and interview with Fantu Cheru about the book here.
Silent and Lethal: Africa’s Quiet Corruption
Open lecture - registration needed
African Development Indicators (ADI) is a yearly report from the office of the Chief Economist or the World Bank. ADI-2010, due to be published on 15 March is a essay with the title Silent and Lethal: How Quiet Corruption Undermines Africa’s Development Efforts. On 18 March, 9.30 – 11.00 Dr. Shanta Devarajan will present the basic findings of the report at a seminar at NAI. Venue: The Nordic Africa Institute, Kungsgatan 38, Uppsala, “Jacaranda Room”, 3rd floor.
Read more about this event and other events here.
Khat abuse major news issue in Sweden
The abuse and smuggling of of khat, a stimulant drug grown in East Africa, has recently erupted as a major news theme in Sweden following a series of investigative articles in the national daily Dagens Nyheter.
The Nordic Africa Institute currently hosts a guest researcher specializing in research on khat. Dr. Gessesse Dessie, of the Wondo Genet College of Forestry and National Resources, Shashemene, Ethiopia, is researching 'Cash-crop-induced landscape dynamics, livelihood and social capital: The case of Khat (Catha edulis) in Ethiopia'.
Khat has rapidly become a valuable cash-crop in Ethiopia, where the cultivation of the evergreen shrub is competing with food production. In several regions of Ethiopia khat is gradually taking over land earlier used for food crop, but despite high income from khat some growers are reported to become poor and remain food-insecure. To interview Dr. Dessie, please contact the NAI communications officer Christian Palme, +46-18-562237.
New Researchers at NAI
Andrew Byerley is a researcher in the field of human geography. He will work at NAI for two years within the research cluster Urban Dynamics. His research is focused on town planning and housing in African cities.
Tea Virtanen is an anthropologist coming from Joensuu University in Finland. Her research at NAI will focus on urbanization.
Lisa Åkesson is an anthropologist and will work at NAI for two years within the research cluster Globalization, Trade and Regional Integration. She will share her time between NAI and the Department of Global Studies at Gothenburg University.
Filmed events
Many lectures, seminars and other program activities of the Nordic Africa Institute are recorded on video. Our video and audio files are available here.
A Guide to Africa on the Internet
A Guide to Africa on the Internet is a guide to freely available material on the internet, which is Africa related. It is a research-oriented link collection, which is divided into country and subject resources. Many of the links function as guides to the various subjects. Read more about A Guide to Africa on the Internet.