Liberalism and its discontents: Social movements in West Africa

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    Editor(s): Ndongo Samba Sylla

    Publisher: Daraja Press

    Year: 2014

    Format: paperback

    Size: 488 pages

    ISBN: 9781499324754

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The engaging and wide-ranging discussions published here explore contemporary political realities in Africa through a ‘social movement’ lens.
Detailing the nuances of social movement politics in 12 West African countries during the 2010-2013 period, they present a chronicle of the socio-political struggles that have taken place in the region. In so doing, this volume answers key questions related to these movements. What logic drives them? What forms do they take? What has been their political impact? Can we speak of a resurgence of social movements? If so, are these a response to the crisis of ‘representative democracy’? Did they give rise to new forms of expression and democratic participation? What challenges do they bring?

Discontent vis-à-vis liberalism in its political and economic dimensions seems to be the trigger of the numerous popular uprisings and protests that occur in the region. In spite of their ambiguities and limitations, these struggles currently seek to remove a double disconnect: that between citizens and the ‘representatives’ and that between the economy and society, between what capital wants and what the people aspire to.

Ndongo Samba Sylla, the editor of this volume, is a Senegalese economist, programme and research manager at the West Africa Office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation. Author of The Fair Trade Scandal. Marketing poverty to benefit the Rich (translated from French by Pluto Press 2014), he is the editor of “Rethinking Development” (Rosa Luxemburg Foundation 2014). His recent research work deals with the history of the word ‘democracy’.

Contributing authors

Ibrahim Abdullah – Souley Adji – Kojo Opoku Aidoo – Francis Akindès – Alpha Amadou Bano Barry – Fernando Leonardo Cardoso – Lila Chouli – Modou Diome – Moussa Fofana – Cláudio Alves Furtado – George Klay Kieh Jr – Claus-Dieter König – Severin Yao Kouamé – Fodé Mane – Issa N’Diaye – Zekeria Ould Ahmed Salem – Ndongo Samba Sylla

About the Editor

Dr Ndongo Samba Sylla is a Senegalese development economist. He has previously worked as a technical advisor at the Presidency of the Republic of Senegal. He is currently a Research and Programme manager at the West Africa office of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (Dakar). He has been four times world champion of French-speaking Scrabble. His publications cover topics such as Fair trade, labour markets in developing countries, social movements, and democratic theory. He recently published “The Fair Trade Scandal. Marketing Poverty to Benefit the Rich” (Pluto Press & Ohio University Press, 2014). At Daraja Press, he has edited three collective works: “Rethinking Development” (2014), “Liberalism and its discontents. Social movements in West Africa” (2014) and “Recent Political Developments in West Africa” (2015).

Book Details

Editor: Ndongo Samba Sylla
Format: paperback
ISBN: 9781499324754
Size: 488 pages
Publisher: Daraja Press
Year: 2014

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