The Nordic Africa Institute
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South African female peacekeepers on mission in Africa : Progress, challenges and policy options for increased participation
No full textSouth Africa’s contribution of troops to peace missions is the 13th largest in the world, and the country has the largest women’s contingent deployed in Peace Support Operations (PSOs). Although, South Africa is one of only a handful of countries incorporating women in combat positions and PSOs, on average the picture of female participation remains less rosy.On the policy level, South Africa has committed itself to gender mainstreaming in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000). The UN Resolution on Women, Peace and Security calls for, among other things, full inclusion of women in all aspects of peace-related activities, including peacekeeping. On 31 October2010, the world will mark the 10th anniversary of Resolution 1325, just as in 2009 South Africa celebrated ten years of participation in international peacekeeping operations. This is a pertinent time to take stock of South Africa’s progress in improving the gender balance in its military, specifically in its contribution to PSOs, and the opportunities and obstacles that exist in this process.This Policy Note is based on information collected from questionnaires, interviews and reports, along with insights gleaned from discussion groups at the 2007 SANDF Women’s Day Conference to identify the progress of, and challenges to the SANDF in improving the gender balance in its peacekeeping activities. These initial research findings form part of a larger project on South African involvement in peacekeeping, focusing in particular on the status, position and role of women decision-makers and peacekeepers. Problems encountered by women peacekeepers and the challenges faced by the SANDF are not unique and the recommendations may therefore be of relevance beyond South Africa, particularly to those African countries across the continent attempting to attract more women into, and mainstream gender in the military and PSOs
Africa in Uncertain Times
No full textCONTENTS: Africa in Uncertain Times / Carin Norberg -- GLOBALIZATION -- Emerging Global Powers - How Should Africa Respond? / Fantu Cheru -- NAI Enters The Blogosphere / Dag Ehrenpreis -- Cash Transfers for Africans Hotly Debated / Göran Holmqvist -- Questions for Our Nordic Friends / Yash Tandon -- Yash Tandon - Claude Ake Professor 2009 -- CONFLICT -- Struggle for Democracy in Africa’s “Barrel and Trigger” / Cyril Obi -- Choice Matters: Elections and Violence in Kenya / Godwin R. Murunga -- On the Record - Community Radio Preaching Peace in Kenya’s Post-Election Violence / Hélène Mercier -- Migrating Zimbabweans Adapting to ‘Disorder’ in Mozambique / Amanda Hammar -- Do You Know Enough to Watch This Film? / Mats Utas -- RURAL & URBAN -- Uncertainty on Kilimanjaro: How Climate Change Affects Livelihoods in East Africa / Knut Christian Myhre -- Growing Concern Over Outsourcing of African Land / Kjell Havnevik -- Uncertainty Strikes at Agricultural Productivity / Mats Hårsmar -- Invisible No More - Africa’s Informal Workers Voicing Their Interests / Ilda Lindell -- CULTURE -- Remembering NAI / Mai Palmberg -- Diary of a NAI Guest Writer / Shailja Patel -- COMUNICATIONS AND LIBRARY -- To Pay or Not to Pay? - Access to African Research / Åsa Lund Moberg -- Communicating Research in a Changing Media Landscape / Birgitta Hellmark Lindgren -- NAI publications -- Activities and staff -- Scholarships from the Nordic Africa Institute</p
Gender Violence and HIV/AIDS in Post-Conflict West Africa : Issues and responses
No full textThis discussion paper examines the linkages between gender and gender inequality in the context of conflict, sexual violence and HIV transmission, and their impact on postconflict reconstruction in Sierra Leone and Liberia. It makes two critical contributions to a gendered perspective on post-conflict transitions in West Africa. First, it notes that contrary to conventional wisdom, post-war transitions to relative peace have made little difference to women’s exposure to chronic sexual violence, with potential implications for increased HIV transmission. Second, the study interrogates those assumptions linking war-related sexual violence to high HIV prevalence in post-conflict contexts, by showing that despite over a decade of armed conflict, Liberia and Sierra Leone had adult HIV prevalence rates that were among the lowest in West Africa. This paper goes beyond generally held notions of the sexual and gender dimensions of civil wars in Africa and points to a gap in, and key challenge for studies and policies on post-conflict reconstruction in Africa
Seven Themes in African Urban Dynamics
No full textThe growth of cities is one of the most significant aspects of the contemporary transformation of African societies. Cities in Africa are the sites of major political, economic and social innovation, and thus play a critical role in national politics, domestic economic growth and social development. They are also key platforms for interaction with the wider world and mediate between global and national contexts. Cities are variously positioned in global flows of resources, goods and ideas, and are shaped by varied historical trajectories and local cultures. The result is a great diversity of urban societies across the continent. Cities in Africa are not only growing rapidly but are also undergoing deep political, economic and social trans-formation. They are changing in ways that defy usual notions of urbanism. In their dazzling complexity, they challenge most theories of the urban. African cities represent major challenges as well as opportunities. Both need to be understood and addressed if a sustainable urban future is to be achieved on the continent. The Urban Cluster of the Nordic Africa Institute, through its research, seeks to contribute to an understanding of processes of urban change in Africa. This discussion paper by Professor Garth Myers, commissioned by the Urban Cluster, is a valuable contribution to shaping the research agenda on urban Africa
Utbudsteori eller hackordningsteori för att förstå SDs valframgångar?
No full textEn kort diskussion av hur SDs valframgångar skall förstås utifrån tre tänkbara teorier: "Konventionell teori" (SDs framgångar reflekterar missnöje med migrationspolitiken), "utbudsteori" (SD får röster där de tenderar att etablera sig)samt "hackordningsteori" (väljarnas efterfrågan på SD bör sökas i hur svenskfödda relaterar till varandra, inte bara i deras relation till invandrare)
Introduktion [till Kultur i Afrika: bildkonst, film, teater, musik, litteratur och dans]
No full textEtt annorlunda möte med Afrika genom dess samtida konst och kultur. Här hörs afrikanska röster från de senaste årtiondens litteratur, teater, musik, dans, film och bildkonst. Det handlar om drömmar, kärlek och svek, Afrikas kulturarv, mångdubbla identiteter, maktfullkomliga härskare, världens tillstånd och frågor om tradition och modernitet. Redaktörerna har valt material från möten med utövande konstnärer och inbjudit forskare till översikter och analyser. Tips på böcker, internetsidor, tidskrifter och kulturfestivaler för nya vandringar i Afrikas kultur finns i slutet av boken.
What’s culture got to do with it? : A report from a conference June 15-18, 2009 in Uppsala
No full textWhat’s culture got to do with it? was the name of an international conference on June 15-18, 2009 in Uppsala, organisedby the 'Cultural Images in and of Africa' research programmeat the Nordic Africa Institute, and funded by the Riksbankens jubileumsfond and Statens kulturråd in Sweden. Scholars participated from 15 countries and 36 universities or research institutes, with 10 African countries represented. This report reproduces the keynote speeches of Karin Barber, Elleke Boehmer, Stefan Jonsson, and Signe Arnfred. The rapporteurs summarise the presentation and discussion of the 27 papers selected for the conference. The report also contain pictorial memories from the conference, and poetry by the three Nordic Africa Institute guest writers present.CONTENTS -- Foreword -- Opening speech -- Programme -- Keynote speeches -- Moral energy and what looks like life in African popular culture/Karin Barber -- Everything to do with it/Elleke Boehmer -- Europe through Africa, Africa through Europe/Stefan Jonsson -- Africa, Art and Gender/Signe Arnfred -- A conference summary -- African Night -- Poetry by guest writers -- I Cannot Myself/Gabeba Baderoon -- The Chelwood Papers/Tolu Ogunlesi -- Please Do not Touch Works of Art/Shailja Pate
Comprendre et aborder les violences sexuelles liées aux conflits : Enseignements tirés de la République Démocratique du Congo
No full textLe paysage de guerre de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) a acquis une exécrable réputation dans le monde entier à cause des rapports sur l’échelle massive des violences sexuelles. Bien qu’un nombre énorme d’autres formes de violences et d’abus aient également été commises à grande échelle, ce sont les violences sexuelles qui ont reçu la plupart de l’attention mondiale, en particulier parmi les observateurs «de l’extérieur». D’innombrables rapports, articles de journaux, coupures de presse, appels et documentaires ont été consacrés à cette question. Un grand nombre de journalistes, d’activistes et de représentants de diverses organisations et de gouvernements internationaux ont effectué des pèlerinages en RDC pour rencontrer et écouter les survivants de vive voix.This Policy Note is available in English under the title: "Understanding and addressing conflict-related sexual violence: Lessons learned from the Democratic Republic of Congo"</p
The Rise of China and India in Africa : Challenges, Opportunities and Critical Interventions
No full textIn recent years, China and India have become the most important economic partners of Africa and their footprints are growing by leaps and bounds, transforming Africa's international relations in a dramatic way. Although the overall impact of China and India's engagement in Africa has been positive in the short-term, partly as a result of higher returns from commodity exports fuelled by excessive demands from both countries, little research exists on the actual impact of China and India's growing involvement on Africa's economic transformation. This book examines in detail the opportunities and challenges posed by the increasing presence of China and India in Africa, and proposes critical interventions that African governments must undertake in order to negotiate with China and India from a stronger and more informed platform.CONTENTS: Foreword: Gunilla Carlsson, Swedish Minister of Development Cooperation -- Introduction / Fantu Cheru and Cyril Obi --Part I: The Big Picture: China and India as Emerging Giants -- 1. China, India & South Africa: What international relations/political economy in the second decade of the 21st century / Timothy M. Shaw -- 2. South/South Strategic Bases for Africa to Engage with China / Dot Keet -- 3. The Growing Shadow of the Tiger: India's burgeoning African engagements / Sanusha Naidu -- Part II: China and India's Relations with Africa: a historical perspective -- 4. Sino/African Development cooperation through cultural prism / Liu Haifang -- 5. India and Africa: Historical and Cultural Relations / Sanjunkta Banerji Bhattacharya -- 6. India's Foreign Aid Policy Towards Africa / Pranay Sinha -- Part III: China and India's Growth Surge in Africa -- 7. China and India's Growth Surge: The case of Manufacturing Exports / Alemayehu Geda and Atnafu G.Meskel Sore -- 8. Chinese Investment in African Network Industries / Peter Draper, Tsidiso Disenyana and Gilberto Biacuana -- 9. The role of India's private sector in the health and agricultural sectors of Africa / Renu Modi -- 10. Women Traders' Response to the Entry of Chinese Wax Prints: Case Studies from Accra, Ghana and Lome, Togo / Linn Axelsson and Nina Sylvanus -- Part IV: The conflict/development nexus: Precarious Balancing! -- 11. The Africa Union, China and Peace Operations: defining a new partnership / Kwesi Aning -- 12. China's Role in the crisis in Darfur / He Wenping -- 13. China and Zambia: Between Development and Politics / Fred Mutesa -- Part V: The scramble for African Oil and Resources -- 14. African Oil in the Energy Security Calculations of China and India / Cyril Obi -- 15. China and India in Angola: Differing Strategies / Alex Vines -- 16. Knocking On a Wide Open Door: Chinese Investment in Zambia / Peter Kragelund -- Part VI: Conclusion -- 17. Countering 'New Imperialisms' in Africa: What role for the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)? / Fantu Cheru and Magnus Calais</p