Does the African continent want to be economically and socially sustainable as well as environmentally safe? What is the role of culture and how does it shape development strategies? In New African Thinkers: Culture at the Heart of Sustainable Development, the authors argue that culture – defined broadly as the way of life, system of values and controls, and modes of practice and expression – lies at the heart of a re-imagined Africa as a place of prosperity and socio-economic well-being, integration, and self-determination. By contextualising the discourse of development, the authors hope to influence policy and practice towards shifting the narrative from ‘one size fits all’ to a more morally justified and socially diverse model.
Culture at the heart of sustainable development Does the African continent want to be economically and socially sustainable as well as environmentally safe? What is the role of culture and how does it shape development strategies? In New African Thinkers: Culture at the Heart of Sustainable Development, the authors argue that culture – defined broadly as the way of life, system of values and controls, and modes of practice and expression – lies at the heart of a re-imagined Africa as a place of prosperity and socio-economic well-being, integration, and self-determination. By contextualising the discourse of development, the authors hope to influence policy and practice towards shifting the narrative from ‘one size fits all’ to a more morally justified and socially diverse model.
Preface Olga Bialostocka
Part 1: A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development
1. Culture of corruption or corruption of culture? Rethinking the challenges to sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa
James Ojochenemi David
2. Indigenous knowledge and rural development planning in Botswana: Exploring the realities of integration
Malatsi Seleka
3. Three stories of how Africans traded their riches for roads and bridges
Dunia Zongwe
Part 2: An Africa of good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law
4. Coming to critical terms with an African political system of good governance for the 21st century through the prism of Swazi (Tinkhundla) monarchical democracy
Hlengiwe Dlamini
5. Recognition theory as an alternative approach to human rights: An African perspective
Sabelo Ndwandwe
6. Post conflict rehabilitation of the child towards the Africa we want – the nexus between psychology and the law
Azubike Onuora-Oguno and Sigrid Shaanika
Part 3: An Africa with a strong cultural identity, common heritage, shared values and ethics
7. Influences of political leadership on cultural development
Natasha Katuta Mwila
8. Visioning the Africa we want through Post-Africanism and the art of Titus
Matiyane Pfunzo Sidogi
9. Preservation of intangible cultural heritage: Indigenous songs of the Naro of Botswana Matheanoga Fana Rabatoko
Part 4: An Africa where development is people-driven, unleashing the potential of women and youth
10. Stokvels as financiers for small business in KwaZulu Natal
Matshediso Joy Ndlovu
Postscript: So what or a letter to new African thinkers
Olga Bialostocka and Vuyo Mjimba