Oblivion or Utopia

The Prospects for Africa

By (author) Chiku Malunga

Publication date:

15 December 2009

Length of book:

148 pages

Publisher

University Press of America

Dimensions:

232x155mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9780761849865

Oblivion or Utopia: the Prospects for Africa explains that most of the problems on the continent stem from the fact that, although the continent may be politically independent, it is not economically independent. Efforts to reverse the continent's continuing underdevelopment have failed to date, including trillions of dollars in aid, because they have not been consciously aimed at enabling Africa to turn its vast natural resources into wealth, which is the only known way of ensuring economic independence. Based on a comprehensive exploration of impediments to reach the goal of economic independence required for self definition, the book proposes a five step strategy which can enable the continent to turn its natural resources into wealth by: 1.

Chapter 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 Acknowledgements
Chapter 3 Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 4 Chapter 2: The Nature of the Struggle
Chapter 5 Chapter 3: Africa's Economy
Chapter 6 Chapter 4: African Politics and Economic Development
Chapter 7 Chapter 5: Civil Society and Economic Development
Chapter 8 Chapter 6: African Culture and Economic Development
Chapter 9 Chapter 7: What can Africa learn from South Korea's Economic Miracle?
Chapter 10 Chapter 8: Positioning Africa in the World
Chapter 11 Chapter 9: What would an Economically Liberated Africa Look Like?
Chapter 12 Chapter 10: The Five Step Strategy for Africa's Economic Independence
Chapter 13 Bibliography
Chapter 14 Appendix: A Summary of the Discussion of the Future of Africa
Chapter 15 Index
Chapter 16 About the Author

Oblivion or Utopia is strong in its portrayal of the effect of knowledge and culture on economic processes. The deficit in knowledge to transform natural resources into wealth is so severe that universities, think tanks and civil society need mobilising across the continent in the use of knowledge as an economic lever. The task he gives these actors is to identify and address economic issues in a language that people understand. The author peppers his works with African proverbs to make sure his point gets home to those he is writing for – the ordinary person in his or her community. The conviction is that “when a critical number of communities on the continent changes, the country changes and eventually the continent changes”. This is a bottom-up view of development reflecting the more rooted side of aid efforts.