The Nordic Africa Institute
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Finland and national liberation in Southern Africa
No full textFinland's special characteristics as a Nordic, non-aligned welfare state gave it the resources and motivation to support liberation movements - in spite of restrictions arising from trade interests and a reluctance to jeopardise the country's neutral image. The study shows that, although it is not an easy task, in a democracy ordinary, dedicated people can, over time, influence political decision making at its most closed and guarded area, foreign politics.Contents: 1. Introduction -- 2. The civil society grows and goes international -- 3. Proclaiming the gospel or politics? -- 4. Finland’s foreign policy - do not disturb! -- 5. Finland supporting liberation struggles -- 6. South Africa, ANC and the boycott question -- 7. Conclusion </p
Liberation in Southern Africa - regional and Swedish voices : interviews from Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the frontline and Sweden
No full textThe interviews in this book were conducted for the Nordic Africa Institute's research project 'National liberation in Southern Africa - The role of the nordic countries'. Around 80 representatives of the Southern African liberation movements, as well as Swedish and other opinion makers, administrators and politicians, reflect on the Nordic support to these struggles. Prominent leaders - among them Joaquim Chissano, Kenneth Kaunda and Thabo Mbeki - give their views on a relationship that largely developed outside the public arena. The book is a reference source to a unique North-South relationship in the Cold War period.Contents: Maps -- Preface and Acknowledgements -- An Introductory Note: The Context of the Interviews; Interviews in the Context of Oral History -- Angola -- Mozambique -- Namibia -- South Africa -- Zimbabwe -- Zambia, OAU and the Soviet Union -- Sweden</p
Credit, currencies and culture : African financial institutions in historical perspective
No full textA striking feature of African history is the volume of commerce and production that has been possible without the full panoply of credit, insurance, futures markets, stock companies, limited liability, and other legal and financial services that make up the formal sector of modern economies. This volume investigate institutional nexuses through which money has been managed in Africa. Together they present important perspectives that are needed to understand the present economic crisis on the continent.CONTENTS -- Finance and Credit in Pre-Colonial Dahomey/Robin Law -- On Currency and Credit in the Western Sahel, 1700–1850/James L.A. Webb, Jr. -- Slaves as Money in the Sokoto Caliphate/Jan Hogendorn -- Islamic Financial Institutions: Theoretical Structures and Aspects of Their Application in Sub-Saharan Africa/ John Hunwick -- Appendix: Document on Financial Transactions from Nineteenth Century Timbuktu/Translated by John Hunwick -- Islamic Banking in the Sudan: Aspects of the Laws and the Debate/Endre Stiansen -- Imposing a Guide on the Indigène: The Fifty Year Experience of the Sociètès de Prèvoyance in French West and Equatorial Africa/Gregory Mann and Jane I. Guyer -- Kòse-é-mánì: Idealism and Contradiction in the Yorùbá View of Money/Akanmu G. Adebayo</p
Talking or fighting? : political evolution in Rwanda and Burundi, 1998-1999
No full textJust like in 1997, there is a great deal of continuity in the political revolution of Rwanda and Burundi, but its regional impact is felt even more, especially in the case of Rwanda. Although the civil war is still ravaging the country, in Burundi the search for a political solution is moving at a snail's pace, through the dual process of political partnership within the country and the Arusha negotiations. On the other hand, the regime in Rwanda continues to favour the military option, which, moreover, has met with some success following the second intervention in the Congo and the regroupment of an important section of the population in the Northwest. While, in Burundi, the political landscape remains divided and even fragmented, in Rwanda the RPF has reinforced its grasp on a tightly-controlled system, notably through the destruction of the MDR. Cohesion within the RPF, however, is by no means guaranteed. At the political level, the system in Burundi is undoubtedly more inclusive than that of the Rwandan regime, whose base continues to shrink. While Rwanda has opted for the path of almost absolute control, Burundi continues its quest for political solutions, although the process is fragile and success is far from guaranteed. In August 1998, Rwanda reaffirmed its ambitions as a regional military power. Furthermore, even more than in 1996-1997, the Congolese operation opens up access to resources which not only help finance the war, but also enrich some political and military actors in Kigali. Although the Burundian army has also become involved in the Congo, its ambitions seem more limited. Furthermore, the regional alliances have become clearer and more visible, which does not necessarily mean that they are stable
Recycled inequalities : youth and gender in George compound, Zambia
No full textThis report addresses concerns about gender inequalities, democracy and deteriorating urban living conditions in Zambia. It presents a study of the reality facing youth born and raised in a peri-urban area, George compound in Lusaka. Changes in political and community organisation and deteriorating living conditions affect young women and men differently, and gender relations have to be re-negotiated. The report voices the youths' concerns about their family situation and gender identity. Male gender identities based on breadwinning and sexual activity become problematic in times of unemployment and HIV. Young women tie their identity to motherhood, but some of those who get an education aim for a working career and relative independence before marriage. Existing gender inequalities are challenged but often recycled in slightly different forms.CONTENTS -- Methodology and presentation of informants -- Living conditions—houses and environment -- Politics in transition -- Urban life and identities -- Households in transition -- Marriage and power -- Sexuality, knowledge, and gender identity -- In conclusion: Changing gender relation
"Women forget that men are the masters" : gender antagonism and socio-economic change in Kisii District, Kenya
No full textA study about conflicts between men and women in contemporary Kiskii, Kenya. The author argues that male identity, sense of worth and prestige have been more deeply affected by socio-economic change than that of female identity. Feminists, in particular, will find this study deeply provocative but a good read.Contents: 1. Background to the Study -- 2. Historical Background - Gender Constructions and Social Value in Pre-Colonial and Colonial Kisii -- 3. The Making of Males and Females in Contemporary Kisii -- 4. Marriage, Identity and Social Value -- 5. The Contemporary Kisii Household - Gender Roles, Identity and Social Value in Every Day Life -- 6. Fertility, Identity and Social Value -- 7. Sexuality, Identity and Social Value -- 8. Gender Antagonism, Social Value and Identities</p
Report of the conference Nordic Solidarity with the Liberation Struggles in Southern Africa, and Challenges for Democratic Partnerships into the 21st Century, 11-14 February, 1999
No full textContents: 1. Nordic-Southern African partnerships in to the 21st century -- 2. Address, Old Assembly Chamber / Tor Sellström -- 3. Future challenges / Jonathan N. Moyo -- 4. Challenges for democratic partnerships into the 21st century / Poul Nielson -- 5. Six lessons from the past - and six for the future: Reflections on Nordic solidarity with the liberation struggle in Southern Africa / Mats Karlsson -- 6. Summary / Amelia Sumbana -- Appendices: I. Reflections on the Nordic research project in the wider context of Southern African studies / Alberto Ribeiro-Kabulu -- II. Response, Angola / Maria da Conceição Neto -- III. The Nordic countries and Mozambique: From national liberation to economic liberation / Sérgio Vieira -- IV. Zimbabwe: Nordic solidarity, national liberation and post-independence problems and prospects in Southern Africa / A. M. Kambudzi -- V. Response, Namibia / Ben Amathila -- VI. Response, South Africa / Raymond Suttner -- VII. Nordic solidarity with ANC / Lindiwe Mabuza -- VIII. Key points of the address 'future challenges' / Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka -- IX. Opening programme -- X. Seminar programme -- XI. Conference participants</p
National identity and democracy in Africa
No full text"This is not a contribution to nation-building. I hope it helps disrupt nation-building". These words by film-maker Zackie Ahmat gave a kick-start to the discussions at the international conference on "National Identity and Democracy" held at the University of the Western Cape 14-18 March 1997, and they also introduce the theme for the book with some of the best contributions to the conference. Ahmat's understanding of "nation-building" was the kind of cultural homogenisation ordered from above which has been the rule in many parts of the world, not least in Africa. Nation-building has here often been been a hypocritical cloak for the hegemony of an elite, sometimes mobilising support from just one cultural group. By the title of the conference the organisers wanted to invite a discussion both on the insight that building a nation and building democracy are not necessarily twins, and on the risks of the misuse of power in the name of the nation. South Africa represents a possible and hopeful departure from the homogenisation model, with its explicit pluralism expressed in the adoption of 11 official languages. Six of the papers deal with the South African experiment, with an examination of the policy of non-racialism and the specific challenges posed by migrant workers, group identities and the themes of gender and nation. Other chapters are case studies from national identity formation on the contested cultural terrain in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Angola, Nigeria, and Tanzania. The book also contains an annotated bibliography.CONTENTS: Preface -- Introduction -- PART I. INVENTING THE NATION'S PAST -- History, the Arts and the Problem of National Identity: Reflections on Kenya in the 1970s and 1980s / Kimani Gecau, Harare -- How the National Became Popular in Tanzania / Siri Lange, Bergen -- The National landscape: a Cultural European Invention / Svend Erik Larsen, Odense -- The Question fo identity during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) in the Fiction of Flora Nwapa and Ken Saro-Wiwa / Raisa Simola, Joensuu -- Part II. IDENTITIES AND TRANSFORMATION -- The Language of Africa-Centered Knowledge in South Africa: Universalism, Relativism and Dependency / Ousseina Alidou & Alamin Mazrui, Columbus Ohio -- War and the Negotiation of Gendered Identities in Angola / Horace Campbell, Syracuse -- Conceptualising Coloured Identitites in the Western Cape Province of South Africa / Zimitri Erasmus & Edgar Pieterse, Cape Town -- Intimate Transformations: Romance, Gender and Nation / Maria Olaussen, Åbo -- From Masters to Minoirites: The Swedish-speaking Finns and the Afrikaans-speaking Whites / Mai Palmberg, Uppsala -- Part III. THE SOUTH AFRICAN EXPERIMENT -- Nation-building Discourse in a Democracy / Bredan P. Boyce, Durban -- The Notion of 'Nation' and the Practice of 'Nation-building' in Post-Apartheid South Africa / Gerhard Maré, Durban -- Do Diverse Social Identitites Inhibit Nationhood and Democrasy?: Initial Considerations from South Africa / Robert Mattes, Cape Town -- Strangers at the Cattle Post: State Nationalism and Migrant Identity in Post-Apartheid South Africa / Michael Neocosmos, Gaborone -- Advancing Non-racialism in Post-Apartheid South Africa / Rupert Taylor, Johannesburg and Don Foster, Cape Town -- Select annotated bibliography / Petra Smitmanis, Stockholm -- About the authors.Published in South Africa by Human Sciences Research Council and Mayibuye Centre of the University of the Western Cape, 1999, ISBN 0-7969-1901-1.</p
Global restructuring and land rights in Ghana : forest food chains, timber and rural livelihoods
No full textThe report highlights the long history of commodification of land and labour in Ghana, linked to speculative activites and more recently to the activities of international capital, agribusiness, international agricultural centres and agencies of the state. It makes the case for a new land, agrarian and natural resource regime that prioritises domestic economic needs to provide security of livelihood to the generality of the people
Common security and civil society in Africa
No full textThis book is the outcome of a conference on Common Security and Civil Society in Africa, held in 1997, and organised jointly by the Nordic Africa Institute and the Common Security Forum, based at the Centre for History and Economics, King's College and the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies. The idea that security is to be achieved by cooperation more than by confrontation, and that it is an economic and social as well as a military condition, has been a commonplace of international politics for some 20 years. The geometry of common or extended security is complex. But it usually involves an extension of the domain of security, of the sources of security, and of the characteristics of security. Among these diverse kinds of security, it is political security which has come into particular prominence at the end of the 1990s, most strikingly in Africa. Political security, in the sense of legal and political institutions such that individuals feel secure both in their individual rights and in the development of political culture, has come to be seen as the foundation of all other kinds of security. The papers presented in this volume seek to go 'beyond the war of images', to imagine a different and more secure future, and they are concerned with five major themes: economic and social change; the prevention of violent conflict; the causes of conflict; political security; the international politics of development partnership.Contents: Beyond the war of images: towards common security and new partnership with Africa / Samantha Gibson -- Shifting commitments and national cohesion in African countries / Thandika Mkandawire -- Poverty, equality and security in South Africa / Stephan Klasen and Fani Zulu -- Health and security in Sub-Saharan Africa / William Pick -- Meeting the goals of the 1990 World Summit on Children: health and nutritional status of children in Sub-Saharan Africa / Omar B. Ahmad -- Conflict prevention and early-warning systems / J. ‘Bayo Adekanye -- The structure of conflict / Mary Kaldor -- Arms and conflicts in Africa: myths and realities of proliferation and disarmament / Siemon T. Wezeman -- Promoting the rule of law in post-conflict societies / Rama Mani -- Aid and politics in Malawi and Kenya: political conditionality and donor support to the 'Human rights, Democracy and Governance' sector / Samantha Gibson -- The interaction between state and civil society in Southern Africa: prospects for peace and security / Patrick Molutsi -- Cosmopolitan patriots / Kwame Anthony Appiah</p