Africa in World Politics: Constructing Political and Economic Order. Harbeson, John W and Rothchild, Donald, eds. Westview Press, Sixth Edition, 2017, 346.

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Africa in World Politics: Constructing Political and Economic Order is a collection of seminal essays which discusses the vibrant and resurgent challenges being faced by the African region. This book explores the changing status of Africa in the international order and its implications on the nature of polity and socio-economic landscape at a regional and sub-regional level. The book has been successful in drawing attention to the new emerging realities and has followed on an over-arching theme that highlighting the transformation of the African continent from a “Dark Continent” to that of a “Rising Africa.” Hence, the central question addressed in the book is, will the growing prominence of Africa in the world translate into the well-being and sustainable socio-economic, political and cultural landscape?

One of the authors of this book, John W Harbeson, has contributed two essays which reflect upon the state and democracy in a changing political and economic order. The book is segmented into four parts, which are sequentially interconnected through 15 essays written on a broad spectrum of issues and challenges faced today by Africa. However, the main impetus of the book remains on constructing varied contours of political and socio-economic framework that revolves around the African engagement with the outside world and their domestic implication.

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