African Development: Making Sense of the Issues and Actors (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This new book fills a large and long-standing gap in the study of African development. It is also well written, and in a language that evokes powerful images and brings the material to life.... Moss Skillfully discusses all of the major topics and debates in the field." - Gina Lambright, George Washington University "This compulsively readable and accessible book is a masterpiece of clear thinking, comprehensiveness, balance, insight, and humor. It will meet the needs of all those who want to know more about Africa's mixture of disappointment and promise." - William Easterly, New York University "An excellent and much-needed volume that brilliantly manages to make complex issues clear.... Balanced and honest, it will help students distinguish between the hype, the myths, and the realities of many topics of concern to Africans and Africanists." - Pierre Englebert, Pomona College"

Product Description

In the ongoing battle against global poverty, the countries of Africa continue to present the greatest challenge. African Development offers a comprehensive introduction to the issues, actors, and institutions interacting across the diverse continent.

Each chapter is organized around three fundamental questions: Where are we now? How did we get to this point? What are the current debates? Interspersed throughout are vivid sidebars acquainting the student with ten well-known "big men" and ten equally important but lesser known African actors. The text also includes the ABCs of development jargon.

Other useful features include chapter-by-chapter suggestions for further reading and a comprehensive index.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 274 pages
• Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers (February 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1588264726
• ISBN-13: 978-1588264725
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #285,935 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smartest survey book out there, August 16, 2007

By	M. Clemens (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book sets out to "provide some of the basic information about development in sub-Saharan Africa to smooth the progress of further study." That's exactly what you get: not 'the answers', but an extremely clear, thorough, and sure-handed guide to all the right questions. No better such guide exists. If you're looking for the smart person's entry point, this is it. If you're an experienced researcher or practitioner looking for a framework within which to organize your thoughts, this is it, too.

Moss gives concise biographies of the most important postcolonial 'big men', sharp summaries of some of the key events that have shaped the development process across the continent, and painstakingly even-handed but clear-eyed synopses of the different sides of international debates on aid policy, trade, investment, and others. The text always provokes thought but never condescends. The author is a PhD political scientist who used to write for The Economist newspaper, which should tell you that 1) the writing is crisp and exact, and 2) he knows his economics, but 3) is never 'economistic' and has a firm grasp of the political forces that shape Africa's response to outsiders' development efforts.

To give you the flavor, here are the "ten tips for sensibly studying African development" whose discussion in Chapter One motivates the survey to follow: "1. There are no panaceas and few quick fixes", "2. Don't believe the (good and bad) hype", "3. Resist the temptation to exoticize", "4. Development is always political", "5. Development is more than money", "6. Be careful with 'facts'", "7. Be skeptical of data", "8. Keep perspective on Africa's size", "9. Get to know some specific countries", "10. Go! [to Africa]".

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Primer, March 19, 2007

By	Jonathan M. Fishbein "Jonathan" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have worked in HIV/AIDS biomedical research and I have recently entered the international development/global health arena. This book is absolutely essential reading to anyone going into this field because one must have a full understanding of the people, organizations, history, and politics at play in African development. Dr. Moss has made an outstanding contribution to improving the welfare of the African continent by educating those of us involved in the effort!!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction, March 7, 2007

By	Charles - See all my reviews

Dr. Moss fills a gap in the literature for an introductory text covering both the politics and economics of Sub-Saharan Africa. The book covers the history of the region since independence, its economic stagnation and the role of local players as well as international trade, aid and finance. It is written in an accessible and engaging style that will appeal not only to those taking introductory courses on Africa, but also anyone interested in learning about development and some of its greatest challenges.