search the africa institute site
Zambian economist Dr. Grieve Chelwa presented his research titled “Revisiting Economics and Its Africa Problem” as part of The Africa Institute’s Faculty Seminar Series on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
With a research focus on political economy, Dr. Chelwa traced the impact of a blog post he had published in 2015, which compelled the field of economics to confront what he had termed “Economics’ Africa problem.” He discussed the discipline’s limited understanding of the political economy processes within the African continent, as initially articulated in his blog post and later developed in scholarly publications. He examined the initial reactions from the “gatekeepers” of economics and the subsequent influence his work had on younger scholars and other disciplines beyond economics, sparking new areas of inquiry.
The seminar also explored emerging solutions to “Economics’ Africa problem,” highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and cautioning against potential co-optation by those seeking to maintain the status quo.
“My talk addresses the ‘Africa problem’ in economics, revealing that around 75% of papers published in top economics journals on Africa from 2005 to 2015 lacked an African-based author. Even when African scholars were involved, their contributions were often diminished. I explore the implications and possible explanations for these patterns, aiming to spark a long-overdue conversation about the politics and consequences of knowledge production in economics on Africa,” Dr. Chelwa said.
In the final section of his talk, Dr. Chelwa pointed to ideas for future research that built upon his initial blog post and existing scholarship.
“The ‘Economics’ Africa problem highlights the urgent need for the discipline to expand its knowledge and understanding of the political economy processes in Africa. Through interdisciplinary engagement and continued research, we can work towards addressing this problem and shaping a more inclusive and comprehensive economic framework for the continent,” he added.
Dr. Chelwa currently serves as the Director of Research at the Institute on Race, Power, and Political Economy at the New School, U.S.A. He is also a Senior Fellow at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and the coordinator of the Collective on African Political Economy (CAPE), a group of emerging African academics and leaders of social movements interested in emancipatory political economy in Africa. His notable contributions include serving as a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and as the inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for African Studies at Harvard University. His scholarly work has been published in prestigious journals and supported by grants from renowned foundations. Additionally, he has provided expert commentary on African economic issues for various esteemed publications and media outlets.
Moderating this session was Amy Niang, Associate Professor of Political Science at The Africa Institute. The Africa Institute’s commitment to fostering critical thinking in African and African Diaspora studies is demonstrated through its faculty seminar series, which serves as a platform for such vital discussions.
Zambian economist Dr. Grieve Chelwa presented his research titled “Revisiting Economics and Its Africa Problem” as part of The Africa Institute’s Faculty Seminar Series on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
Zambian economist Dr. Grieve Chelwa presented his research titled “Revisiting Economics and Its Africa Problem” as part of The Africa Institute’s Faculty Seminar Series on Tuesday, June 20, 2023.
With a research focus on political economy, Dr. Chelwa traced the impact of a blog post he had published in 2015, which compelled the field of economics to confront what he had termed “Economics’ Africa problem.” He discussed the discipline’s limited understanding of the political economy processes within the African continent, as initially articulated in his blog post and later developed in scholarly publications. He examined the initial reactions from the “gatekeepers” of economics and the subsequent influence his work had on younger scholars and other disciplines beyond economics, sparking new areas of inquiry.
The seminar also explored emerging solutions to “Economics’ Africa problem,” highlighting their strengths and weaknesses, and cautioning against potential co-optation by those seeking to maintain the status quo.
“My talk addresses the ‘Africa problem’ in economics, revealing that around 75% of papers published in top economics journals on Africa from 2005 to 2015 lacked an African-based author. Even when African scholars were involved, their contributions were often diminished. I explore the implications and possible explanations for these patterns, aiming to spark a long-overdue conversation about the politics and consequences of knowledge production in economics on Africa,” Dr. Chelwa said.
In the final section of his talk, Dr. Chelwa pointed to ideas for future research that built upon his initial blog post and existing scholarship.
“The ‘Economics’ Africa problem highlights the urgent need for the discipline to expand its knowledge and understanding of the political economy processes in Africa. Through interdisciplinary engagement and continued research, we can work towards addressing this problem and shaping a more inclusive and comprehensive economic framework for the continent,” he added.
Dr. Chelwa currently serves as the Director of Research at the Institute on Race, Power, and Political Economy at the New School, U.S.A. He is also a Senior Fellow at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and the coordinator of the Collective on African Political Economy (CAPE), a group of emerging African academics and leaders of social movements interested in emancipatory political economy in Africa. His notable contributions include serving as a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business and as the inaugural postdoctoral fellow at the Center for African Studies at Harvard University. His scholarly work has been published in prestigious journals and supported by grants from renowned foundations. Additionally, he has provided expert commentary on African economic issues for various esteemed publications and media outlets.
Moderating this session was Amy Niang, Associate Professor of Political Science at The Africa Institute. The Africa Institute’s commitment to fostering critical thinking in African and African Diaspora studies is demonstrated through its faculty seminar series, which serves as a platform for such vital discussions.
Subscribe to our mailing list and get the latest news from The Africa Institute
