Imperialism and Africa

Bibliographic Data

ID11904589
AuthorsR Bush (0000-0003-2829-551X, University of Leeds, corresponding author)
Year2024
Volume51
Issue181
Publication date2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueReview of African Political Economy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0305-6244 • E-ISSN: 1740-1720
PublisherTaylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.62191/roape-2024-0029
OpenAlexW4403081926
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited30

Imperialism and AfricaIt is an irony of history that coercion, which is so effective that it can afford to be silent, is scarcely recognised as such; it is only on occasions when its effectiveness is diminished to a point where it has to come out in the ugliest of colours that its reality begins to strike us.The deafening silence about imperialism is thus a reflection of the extraordinary strength and vigour it is displaying at present.Prabhat Patnaik, 'Whatever Has Happened to Imperialism?' 1 This 50th anniversary issue of the Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE) focuses on imperialism in the African context and beyond.It reminds readers of the structural underpinning to the world economy that produces and reproduces inequality, poverty, war and famine and yet is omitted from almost all analysis of Africa.This editorial interrogates what imperialism is, how it may have changed, and with what consequences.We do this by exploring some of the recurrent themes that ROAPE and its authors have advanced over 50 years of academic activist engagement with Africa's political economy.Furthermore, this 50th anniversary issue deals specifically with the politics of knowledge production and how the journal managed to separate itself from a corporate publishing house to ensure free and genuinely open access for all its readers.The control of how knowledge is generated and access to it is facilitated is a key dimension of imperialism, and this journal contests this aspect of imperialist hegemony.Our critical commentary on imperialism in this anniversary issue explores the crises of social reproduction and gender inequality that underpin late capitalism in crisis.We also examine the shifting debate about the international (imperialist) labour migration regime; French imperialism in West and Central Africa; and imperialist intervention in North Africa.In addition, the struggles for people's power are examined with reference especially to South Africa.A founding editor reflects on why and how ROAPE emerged as a radical journal on African political economy and recent debate about knowledge production in and about Africa.There are also a number of reader reflections on the history of ROAPE, what the journal has meant to some activists, what ROAPE may have done reasonably well in the last 50 years and what it might do better

Development economics · Economics · International relations · Political economy · Political science · Politics · International Development and Aid · Law

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