Books published by Langaa RPCID

Whether Africa is developed or not, depends on how and what one addresses. Development is relative. Nonetheless, the fact is: Africa developed Europe; and thereby became underdeveloped. Addressed academically, the notion of development creates many questions amongst which are: Development in what? Whose development? Development for whom? Who defines development? In this volume, the development dealt with is polygonal; and touches on politico-economic sequels which also affect the social aspect. No doubt. Africa is abundantly rich in terms of resource and culture. Paradoxically, however, Africa is less developed economically compared to Europe thanks to the history of unequal encounters, among other reasons. We cannot emphasise enough the fact that Africa's underdevelopment is the price of the development of Europe which is based on historical realities gyrating around Europe's criminal past wherein slavery and colonialism enabled Europe to spawn its future capital and investment. How can anyone quibble about Europe's development resulting from perpetual plunderage of Africa with impunity committed by European treasure-hunting adventurers? This volume prescribes Africa's restorative recompense as the only way forward for the duo and the world.

One of the fundamental challenges in rethinking and remaking development in Africa from a Pan African perspective is that too much "mere talk" and "blame game" have played out at the expense of "real action". The blame game and mere talk on Africa's poverty and underdevelopment jam have remained printed in bold on the face of the continent, yet Africa's dire situation warrants nothing less than real emphatic action. This book focuses on the empirics of the production and reproduction of poverty and underdevelopment across Africa in a fashion that warrants urgent pragmatic policy attention and quest for workable homegrown solutions to persistent predicaments. The volume advances the need to recognise the realities of global inequalities and move swiftly in a most informed and transparent manner to address the poverty and underdevelopment conundrum. The book sets the tempo and pace on the need for praxis and pragmatism on the African situation. It is handy to students and practitioners in African studies, poverty and development studies, global studies, policy studies, economics and political science.

Poetic encounter: Rhapsodies from the South is compilation of poems by Southern African Writers from South Africa and Zimbabwe. The poems, were written not only to depict life but also tell tales of socio-political and economic history that Southern African people traversed from colonialism, apartheid to freedom. Therefore, readers from all walks-of-life can identify with themes such as apartheid, economic deprivation, religion and culture, love and so forth that are carefully ensconced in this compilation. The authors invite the readers, to not only indulge the lived injustice and violent nature of both our historic past and trajectory to the current state of affairs, but also appreciate, cry, smile and reminiscence about the life in general as encapsulated in this refreshing and aesthetic work of art - the poetic encounter.

The emergent technoscientific New World Order is being legitimised through discourses on openness and inclusivity. The paradox is that openness implies vulnerability and insecurities, particularly where closure would offer shelter. While some actors, including NGOs, preach openness of African societies, Africans clamour for protection, restitution and restoration. Africans struggle for ownership and access to housing, for national, cultural, religious, economic, and social belonging that would offer them the necessary security and protection, including protection from the global vicissitudes and matrices of power. In the presence of these struggles, to presuppose openness would be to celebrate vulnerability and insecurities. This book examines ways in which emergent technologies expose Africans and, more generally, peoples of the global south to political, economic, social, cultural and religious shocks occasioned by the coloniality of the global matrices of power. It notes that there is the use - by global elites - of technologies to incite postmodern revolutions designed to compound the vicissitudes and imponderables in the already unsettled lives of people north and south. Particularly targeted by these technologies are African and other governments that do not cooperate in the fulfilment of the interests of the hegemonic global elites. The book is handy to students and practitioners in security studies, African studies, development studies, global studies, policy studies, and political science.

For centuries the continent of Africa has been characterised by negative images such as poverty, disease and conflicts. Today, however, the People's Republic of China's growing presence in Africa, particularly with regards to China-Africa business relations, brings new vitality to the continent. This new movement is not a windfall but rather obtained through the hard work of both African and Chinese people at various levels. Narrating on daily experiences of Chinese merchants and their vivid interactions with people in Botswana, this book decodes the frustrating while rewarding process through which China-Africa relations have been maturing on the grass-roots level. This book not only presents insights and suggestions to both Botswana and Chinese policy makers interested in understanding their constituents' everyday interactions with each other, but also offers readers interested more broadly in contemporary Chinese experiences in Africa a fascinating glimpse into these cross-cultural encounters. This book is an original and pioneering study of issues that resonate in almost every African country which has responded to a growing Chinese presence. It argues that as the process of globalisation permeates the everyday lives of people, each individual is empowered to be an 'ambassador' in shaping international relations.

"Magnus Opus: A Tribute to Ntarikon is a scathing indictment of the political status quo in the Republic of Cameroon where the ruling party, the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), rides roughshod over the populace. In this long poem, Vakunta cries out poignantly against social dystopia and the deplorable moments lived by members of the Social Democratic Front (SDF) at Ntarikon Park on May 26, 1990. One cannot read this poem without feeling the despair and helplessness experienced by members of this political party as they were maimed, killed and reminded that the future holds no good for them. The prosody and semantics of the poem amplify the ontological angst experienced by Cameroonians on a daily basis." - Kashama Mulamba, Ph.D, Professor of English and French, Olivet Nazarene University, USA

This book provides useful pointers to help journalists navigate the dilemmas they face in the professional practice. It provides an enlightening overview of the views of Mauritian journalists on their own industry and an in-depth look at the South African model for self-regulation. As part of the ethical approach, the book also reviews the main issues related to gender-sensitive reporting, in view of the significant role the media have to play in gender education. In an age of information overload, over-exposure to a hyper-mediated culture and the rise of user-generated content, journalists increasingly strive to remain relevant. The temptation to use lower standards, resort to sensationalism and even paycheck journalism is strong. Such examples of unethical practice can only further undermine the credibility of a profession which purports to act as a watchdog, a Fourth Estate. Claims that ethics is a private affair no longer hold good. Journalism is a public good and the need to a clear social contract is stronger than ever in a world where transparency and accountability are on the agenda. Mechanisms for ensuring ethical practice are essential and should be hailed as beacons for a stronger journalism.

Skin-lightening is currently one of the most common forms of potentially harmful body modification practices in the world and African women are among some of the most widely represented users of skin-lightening products. The overall objective of this book is to provide up-to-date evidence-based recommendations for reducing the global burden of cosmetic skin bleaching and preventing injuries related to skin bleaching in sub-Saharan Africa and Africans in diaspora. The book aims to: offer an appraisal of all relevant literature on cosmetic bleaching practices to-date, focusing on any key developments; identify and address important medical, public health issues as well as historical, genetic, psychosocial, cultural, behavioural, socioeconomic, political, institutional and environmental determinants; provide guideline recommendations that would help attenuate the burden and possibly eliminate the injuries related to skin bleaching; discuss potential developments and future directions.

Best New African Poets 2016 Anthology has 251 pieces from 131 poets and artists in 7 languages (English, Portuguese, French, Afrikaans, Shona, Yoruba and Kiswahili) from 24 African countries and Diasporas, with South African and Angolan poets dominating the list. We also have a healthy number of poets from Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Moçambique, Ghana, and Nigeria, as usual. The nationalist sense is the one that most predominates with its pink, blue and gray tints that are expressed in parallel with existentialist perspectives that in turn go hand in hand with love, desire, hankering, joy, sensuality that transports us to epic, lyrical, utopian contexts without being lost in fantasy, they are artistic lines sometimes with traditional and sometimes more innovative touches. However, in contrast and to a lesser extent, almost as if there were resistant and with restraint we also find desolation, pain, negation that can be so sweet or so bitter that it allows the imagination to stop in a lament or end in resignation.

"...this collection is both poetry and a reflection on poetry, on the creative process. In deceptively minimalist style characteristic of seasoned bards and a diction charged with intricate conceits, John Ngong Kum Ngong launches a scathing onslaught on the ruling barons of post-colonial nations who have privatised the nations' wealth and power." - Dr. Gilbert Ndi Shang, Bayreuth University, Germany