Global Experts Gather to Explore New Directions in African Political Economy at The Africa Institute, Honoring Thandika Mkandawire

The Africa Institute, Global Studies University (GSU) in Sharjah, hosted an international conference at Africa Hall from November 14-16, 2024, titled New Directions in African Political Economy. This three-day event brought together global scholars to engage in critical discussions on the future of African political economy, centered on the intellectual legacy of the late Professor Thandika Mkandawire, one of Africa’s most influential political economists.

The conference provided a platform for reflection on Mkandawire’s groundbreaking scholarship, which reshaped conventional understandings of African development by emphasizing African agency and dignity. His work remains essential for scholars, policymakers, and institutions navigating Africa’s complex socio-economic landscape, especially as the continent’s role in the global economy continues to evolve amid new challenges.

Over 25 distinguished speakers from leading institutions across the UAE, Africa, Europe, and North America participated in keynote addresses, panel discussions, and dialogues. Notable institutions included Cornell University, Stellenbosch University, CODESRIA, University of South Africa, Howard University, and the International Development Economics Associates.

The conference opened with welcome remarks from Hoor Al Qasimi, President of GSU, and Professor Salah M. Hassan, Chancellor of GSU and Dean of The Africa Institute. The opening session was followed by the conference convenor, Grieve Chelwa, Chair of Social Sciences and Associate Professor of Political Economy at The Africa Institute (GSU).

“Thandika Mkandawire was more than just a first-rate scholar; he fundamentally reshaped how we understand African political economy. His approach was revolutionary because he insisted on examining Africa’s trajectory from a position of dignity, rather than deficit. What made this conference particularly special was its intergenerational nature – bringing together Mkandawire’s contemporaries and friends alongside mid-career and emerging scholars, all united in advancing his intellectual legacy,” said Chelwa.

Conference Highlights:

• Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Senior Advisor for Strategic Initiatives at Howard University, delivered the opening keynote on African intellectual decolonization.
• Abdalla Hamdok, Executive Chairman of the Center for Africa’s Development and Investment (CADI), engaged in a dialogue on building progressive scholarly communities in Africa.
• Vijay Prashad, Executive Director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, presented the second keynote, “Can We Build Scholarship for Our People? Walking by the Durban Beach with Thandika Mkandawire in 2001”, on revitalizing intellectual production in the Global South.
• Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Professor and South African Research Chair in Studies in Historical Trauma and Transformation, Stellenbosch University, delivered the closing keynote on historical trauma and knowledge production.
• Godwin Murunga, Executive Secretary of CODESRIA, presented on Thandika Mkandawire’s approach to grounded methodologies.
• Book Launch: Re-envisioning the African and American Academies (Dakar: CODESRIA Press, 2024) by Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, a vital exploration of higher education dynamics amid global challenges.

Panel Discussions: The conference featured five-panel discussions chaired by faculty members of The Africa Institute, covering critical themes in African political economy, including Social Policy and Development; Development and the Developmental State; Intellectual Thought; Globalization and Development; and Agriculture, Land, and Structural Transformation in Africa. These discussions are expected to generate a series of policy and scholarly papers that could influence African economic strategies in the coming years.

The conference was open to the public, drawing significant interest from students, scholars, policymakers, and individuals engaged with African development, global political economy, and international affairs.