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Issue 27/2 by Afrika Focus

Encouraged by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, and the Arab Spring, young Moroccans began to o... more Encouraged by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, and the Arab Spring, young Moroccans began to organise huge demonstrations across the country demanding more democracy, social justice and anti-corruption measures. The 20 February movement, named after the first demonstration held on that date in 2011, is a good illustration of one of the new social movements characterized by an intense use of technology and their diffuse membership. This article explores how protesters challenge the dominant institutions and norms in society through their struggle and how they try to create new meanings for these institutions, not only by protesting but also by using social media. We argue that using new social media is not only a vehicle for the mobilisation of activists, but also represents a form of new meaning-making for them: they participate, not only in a local sense, but also globally. Their online activities intersect and influence offline practices and vice versa, creating a continuous interaction which exerts an influence on both worlds. It is precisely this interconnectedness of offline and online worlds that is the decisive force in these movements and creates new meaning-making.

Much of the literature on ethnicity in Africa regards ethnicity as a central cleavage and associa... more Much of the literature on ethnicity in Africa regards ethnicity as a central cleavage and associates its politicisation with civil war and deteriorating socio-economic conditions. Tanzanian society is not structured by this cleavage, making it an outlier among African states. Despite the negative impact of politicised ethnicity, little is known of the circumstances through which it germinates and comes to have negative consequences, or how it can be suppressed in Africa. The present article attempts a comprehensive analysis of the structural and historical factors that have made the move away from politicisation of ethnicity in Tanzania possible. It provides an eclectic structural and historical explanation that attributes lack of ethnic salience in Tanzanian politics to a particular ethnic structure, to certain colonial administrative and economic approaches, and to a sustained nation-building ethos. The argument results from a critical analysis of secondary material on ethnicity and the politics of Tanzania. afrika focus -Volume 27, Nr. 2 [ 50 ] m. malipula afrika focus -2014-12 [ 51 ] Depoliticised ethnicity in Tanzania: a structural and historical narrative afrika focus -Volume 27, Nr. 2 [ 52 ] m. malipula afrika focus -Volume 27, Nr. 2 [ 54 ] m. malipula 8 The population census of 2009 indicates that the total population of Kenya is 38.6 million with the large tribes constituting 24.6 million. The distribution being Kikuyu: 6.6m Luhya: 5.3m, Kalenjin: 4.9m, Luo: 4m and the Kamba: 3.8m. 9 Assuming all are eligible to vote the minimum winning coalition requires 19.3 million which could be met if the Kikuyu,Luhya and Kalenjin plus Kikuyu's cousins Embu and Meru joined. afrika focus -Volume 27, Nr. 2 [ 56 ] m. malipula

Issue 27/S (special agroforestry issue) by Afrika Focus

Garcinia lucida Vesque (Clusiaceae) is a tree species that is highly valued for its medicinal pro... more Garcinia lucida Vesque (Clusiaceae) is a tree species that is highly valued for its medicinal properties by rural households in the humid forest zone of Cameroon. However, the unsustainable exploitation of the species threatens its long-term regeneration. This study focuses on its vegetative propagation via stem cuttings in non-mist propagators and through grafting. The study tests the effects of three rooting media (sand, sawdust, sand + sawdust (1/1); three leaf sizes (0,25 and 50 cm 2 ); and three types of hormone [indole butyric acid (IBA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA)], applied as a single dose. Furthermore, three grafting techniques (cleft, side tongue and whip-and-tongue grafting) were tested. All experiments were designed as completely randomized blocks with three replicates. Results showed that cuttings require a medium that has low water holding capacity and high porosity, and a leaf area of 50 cm 2 and NAA treatment; grafting success was affected by the technique used, with top cleft grafting yielding a 100% success rate. From this preliminary study, it is concluded that G. lucida is amenable to vegetative propagation by cuttings and grafting.

In Cameroon, agriculture constitutes the main livelihood for a large portion of the population. A... more In Cameroon, agriculture constitutes the main livelihood for a large portion of the population. Against this background, land tenure security is of crucial importance for agricultural production and off-farm activities. This article aims to foster understanding of small-holder farmers' access to land in the Njombé-Penja district of Cameroon. Data was collected using focus group discussions with small-holders, key informant interviews, field observations and formal surveys. Results indicate that the current land tenure situation often limits small-holder farmers' access to productive land. This often results in conflicts between various actors including plantation agriculture, rural elites and research institutions, and hence threatens small-holders' security for food and livelihoods. We conclude that there is a need to revisit existing policies for land allocation to multinational companies in order to protect small-holder producers' rights and security, and to harmonize the various tenure systems as a means to avoid competing claims among various actors.

afrika focus -Volume 27, Special Agroforestry Issue [ 42 ] c. elomo, b. nguénayé, z. tchoundjeu, ... more afrika focus -Volume 27, Special Agroforestry Issue [ 42 ] c. elomo, b. nguénayé, z. tchoundjeu, et al. Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H. J. Lam. (Burseraceae) is a high-value fruit tree in West and Central Africa. Air layering of this species is now under control, but uncertainty remains as to the effect of a number of factors on rooting; these include cloning the type of propagule, the orientation of branches and the position of the marcots in the crown. A series of experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of cloning, the type of propagule (cuttings and marcots), position in the crown (lower and upper) and the orientation of branches (plagiotropic, oblic and orthotropic) on the tree´s rooting ability. For the first three factors, older clones of 10 years with a normal maturation were bedded in equal proportions of decomposed sawdust and arable soil. To test the orientation factor late maturing trees of over 20 years bedded in, decomposed sawdust were used. Ten months after the setting up of marcots, the results showed that the clonal effect significantly (p<0.001) affects the rooting of marcots. The best result was obtained for clones MA/DE/40M, BUM/DE/36M and DE/M/2-70C. The type of propagule had a significant effect (p<0.012) on percentage of rooting marcots. On the dead marcots, this effect was significant (p<0.038) from the eighth month. No significant effect (p = 0.124) of the position of the branch in the crown was recorded on the rooting of marcots. However, the upper crown had apparently a high percentage of rooting (39.59 ± 3.37%) compared to that of the lower crown (31.94 ± 3.44%) at 10 months. The percentage of dead marcots recorded was high at lower crown marcots (40.28 ± 4.08%) and the mean number of primary roots was low (6.97 ± 0.87 %) compared to the upper part (33.33 ± 3.91 and 7.36 ± 0.8% respectively). Nine months after the setting up of marcots, the orthotropic branches showed a high number of primary roots (13.55 ± 1.22%) and a low percentage of dead marcots (6.67 ± 4.55%) compared to plagiotropic branches (7.84 ± 0.77 and 26.67 ± 8.05% respectively). With respect to the orientation of branches, no significant (p = 0.45) effect on the rooting of marcots was recorded, but the rooting percentage of marcots on plagiotropic and oblic branches (43.33 ± 9.05%) was high compared to the percentage of orthotropic branch (30 ± 8.34%). It can therefore be concluded from this study that orthotropic branches of D. edulis, upper crown are among the best parameters for air layering.

Gnetum africanum Welw. (Gnetaceae) is a forest vine that is highly valued for its leaves which ar... more Gnetum africanum Welw. (Gnetaceae) is a forest vine that is highly valued for its leaves which are a source of food and income. Because wild populations are threatened by over-harvesting, there is an increasing need to cultivate the plant, which in turn entails a need for developing good quality planting material. This study investigates the effects of four provenances, four substrates and their interactions on rooting and shoot development of vine cuttings of G. africanum using the non-mist propagation system developed by ICRAF. Single-node, half-leafed vine cuttings were used and data on rooting and leaf production were collected monthly from the second to the fifth months. Rooting percentages were subjected to analysis of variance using logistic regression procedures in Genstat version 12. Provenance (P<0.001), substrate (P<0.001) and interaction between provenance and substrate (P<0.001) showed highly significant effects on rooting. Excel was used to determine rooting percentages, with the highest observed in fine sand on cuttings from Lekie-Assi (81%) and Boumnyebel (79%) which are high G. africanum exploitation areas in the Centre Region of Cameroon. Boumnyebel showed a significantly higher shoot development than the other provenances. Fine sand and sharp sand can be recommended for rapid, low-cost production of G. africanum planting material.

Issue 27/1 by Afrika Focus

Gum arabic is a resin collected from several types of Acacia tree growing most densely in arid an... more Gum arabic is a resin collected from several types of Acacia tree growing most densely in arid and semi-arid lands in East Africa and the Sahel. Kenya is particularly well endowed with gum-yielding trees but exports only small amounts of gum.

Contemporary Nigerian poets have had to contend with the social and political problems besetting ... more Contemporary Nigerian poets have had to contend with the social and political problems besetting Nigeria's landscape by using satire as a suitable medium, to distil the presentation and portrayal of these social malaises in their linguistic disposition. Arguably, contemporary Nigerian poets, in an attempt to criticize social ills, have unobtrusively evinced a mastery of language patterns that have made their poetry not only inviting but easy to read. This epochal approach in the crafting of poetry has significantly evoked an inimitable sense of humour which endears these poems to the readers. In this regard, the selected poems in this paper are crowded with anecdotes, the effusive use of humour, suspense and curiosity. The over-arching argument of the paper is that satire is grounded in the poetics of contemporary Nigerian poetry in order to criticize certain aspects of the social ills plaguing Nigerian society. The paper will further examine how satire articulates social issues in the works of contemporary Nigerian poets, including Niyi Osundare, Tanure Ojaide, Chinweizu, Femi Fatoba, Odia Ofeimun, Ezenwa Ohaeto, Obiora Udechukwu and Ogaga Ifowodo. Viewed in the light of artistic commitment, the paper will demonstrate how satire accentuates the role of these poets as the synthesizers/conduits of social and cultural concerns of Nigerian society for which they claim to speak. As representatively exemplified in the selected poems, the paper will essentially focus on the mediation of satire for the impassioned criticism of social and moral vices, militating against Nigeria's socio-political development.

Throughout the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, various writings -literary, socio... more Throughout the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, various writings -literary, sociological, and political -retrace the challenges that have faced the nation: colonialism, access to independence, postcolonial failures, wars, dictatorships and female exploitation. Some historians, sociologists, literary critics and journalists touted the successes of colonial times and the first Republic, especially those who worked for these governments. Other essential voices remained silent, in order to avoid dictatorial repression and censure, especially under President Mobutu. With the arrival of Laurent Kabila, freedom of speech brought forth discourse that slowly deteriorated into insincere rhetoric and, finally, utter silence. In Les Terrassiers de Bukavu: Nouvelles, Charles Djungu-Simba, the editor of several Bukavu Congolese novella writers, predicts that the sociopolitical discourse put forth in such narratives will lead to chaos followed by further repression that will continue the cycle presented all along these metanarratives unless oppression is radically addressed from the grassroots.

As it is the case for most of the African countries, Togo is looking for a constitutional system ... more As it is the case for most of the African countries, Togo is looking for a constitutional system that fits its political, social and cultural realities. The 1990s were considered as a period of democratic revival, and from those years onwards the constitutional organization was directed towards a parliamentary type of regime which was rightfully or wrongfully seen as an instrument whereby the head of state's powers were limited. However, the unfortunate result of this kinds of organization of the political powers leads to another constitutional system which is more likely to be presidential.

Issue 26/2 by Afrika Focus

In this paper I explore tensions and conflicts over poverty reduction and urban development in Ki... more In this paper I explore tensions and conflicts over poverty reduction and urban development in Kigali, Rwanda's capital in terms of theories of performativity. On one hand, motorcycle taxis offer large numbers of young men good livelihoods -reflecting the government of Rwanda's stated commitment to poverty reduction, especially amongst youth; on the other, motorcycle taxi drivers suffer harassment at the hands of city authorities and police, who are keen to eradicate motorcycle taxis from the urban scene altogether. I interpret this tension as a conflict over the appropriate performance of development in the city; I argue that in pursuit of urban development, the city itself becomes an image, projected in order to attract the investment which will give body to the simulated spectacle that Kigali present. Conflicts between the city and motorcycle taxi drivers erupt because motorcycle taxis cannot perform to the aesthetic standards of the new Kigali. In conclusion, I suggest that the rendition of Kigali's development as image has broader lessons for studies of development in general. Specifically, these conflicts expose the operation of images and their performance as political resources, conferring intelligibility and legitimacy in the spectacle of national development. afrika focus -Volume 26, Nr. 2 [ 10 ] w. rollason afrika focus -2013-12 [ 11 ] Performance, poverty and urban development afrika focus -Volume 26, Nr. 2 [ 12 ] w. rollason afrika focus -Volume 26, Nr. 2 [ 14 ]

Haramaya University, Ethiopia (2) Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia In a first step to understa... more 1) Haramaya University, Ethiopia (2) Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia In a first step to understand the interactions between Coffea arabica L. trees and mycorrhizae in Ethiopia, an investigation of the current mycorrhizal colonization status of roots was undertaken. We sampled 14 shade tree species occurring in coffee populations in Bonga forest, Ethiopia. Milletia ferruginea, Schefflera abyssinica, Croton macrostachyus, Ficus vasta, F. sur, Albizia gummifera, Olea capensis, Cordia africana, Ehretia abyssinica, Pouteria adolfi-friederici, Pavetta oliveriana, Prunus africana, Phoenix reclinata and Polyscias fulva. Coffee trees sampled under each shade tree were all shown to be colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi). Four genera and 9 different species of AM fungi were found in the soils. Glomus (Sp1, Sp2, & Sp3 & Sp4), Scutellospora (Sp1 & Sp2) and Gigaspora (Sp1 & Sp2)

This paper examines gender mainstreaming in European Union (EU) development aid towards Sub-Sahar... more This paper examines gender mainstreaming in European Union (EU) development aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim is to detect how gender (in)equality in Sub-Saharan Africa is framed by the EU by critically assessing the nature and range of the differences between EU and civil society framings of gender (in)equality in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using the method of Critical Frame Analysis, 28 EU programming documents have been analysed and compared to 10 civil society texts on gender equality. I conclude that the EU's approach to gender mainstreaming in its development aid towards Sub-Saharan Africa is to a large extent integrationist and predominantly instrumentalist as it is framed as a way of more effectively achieving existing policy goals. The more transformative issues that are put forward by Sub-Saharan African civil society organisations do not fit within the EU's dominant development paradigm that is focused on achieving the Millennium Development Goals and does not significantly challenge gender relations or power structures. The gap between the analysed civil society views and those expressed by the EU can be explained by the EU's reluctance to include in its policy drafting the promotion of gender equality by civil society organisations. Moreover, the gap seems to have both practical and ideological grounds.

This paper investigates Lubà-kasààyi folklore, particularly a folk song, in order to reveal an et... more This paper investigates Lubà-kasààyi folklore, particularly a folk song, in order to reveal an ethno-gendered construction of wifehood. It aims to show girls' socialization into a sexist and patriarchal discourse and how such a practice ideologically initiates them into their future subservient role of caterers for the husbands' alimentation needs. Moreover, folklore seems to perpetuate traditions, and so the gender inequality inscribed within them, a situation that is particularly apparent in villages.

Recent studies have suggested that teacher and learner beliefs about second language instruction ... more Recent studies have suggested that teacher and learner beliefs about second language instruction have a significant influence on language teaching and learning process and, consequently, on students' achievements. However, in the Mozambican context, we still do not have studies focusing on learner and teacher beliefs about students and language proficiency, about teaching materials, about individual and cultural variations and beliefs about the learning process itself. Using questionnaires and a focus group report, we look at the Mozambican linguistic profile, the learner and teacher beliefs and their influence in tertiary English Language Teaching (ELT) and learning. The results show that there is a need for creating an environment in which teachers' and learners' cultural background, beliefs and needs are considered so as to enable teachers to teach effectively, as well as enabling learners to achieve positive learning outcomes.

Issue 26/1 by Afrika Focus

Approaching music as a point of social connection in the post-colonial city of Lisbon, where cult... more Approaching music as a point of social connection in the post-colonial city of Lisbon, where cultural entrepreneurs deploy the political concept of lusofonia, this study examines the ways in which local migrant musicians from Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP), as well as Brazil and East Timor, position themselves in this context. In general, the study shows that there is a lack of recognition of the contribution they make to the expressive culture of the Portuguese capital, and this is related to national preconceptions. Surprisingly, despite several existing counter-discourses regarding lusofonia, all interviewed musicians do see some future relevance in this concept. They appeal to both supranational institutions and national governments, asking for structural support in order to promote and disseminate all the expressive culture of Portuguesespeaking African countries, indicating that the contribution of migrant musicians from these countries should be considered as an integral part of Portugal's cultural expression and heritage.

This article critiques the idea that Africa under existing conditions of globalisation can take c... more This article critiques the idea that Africa under existing conditions of globalisation can take control of its own destiny in the 21st century. It does so by interrogating the empirical economic evidence for recent growth figures on the continent. It argues the optimism that Africa is on the verge of an economic breakthrough is misplaced and needs to be set in the historical context of recurrent optimism that quickly fades under the realities of exploitation and underdevelopment in the continent. Opportunities for sustainable growth and development lie not with greater integration with the world economy but with, among other things, local political and economic struggles in Africa for greater participation in local decision making and control of international capital.

This article considers recent literature on contemporary urbanization in Africa that is united in... more This article considers recent literature on contemporary urbanization in Africa that is united in its 'post-normative' orientation, firmly discarding the 'expectations' of modernization that so deeply shaped twentieth-century research on African cities. Best typified by the work of urban anthropologists such as Abdoumaliq Simone, this scholarship instead focuses on the 'vernacularization' of urban structures and strategies in Africa. While such work has developed a host of new insights into the idiosyncratic nature of African urbanization, it has largely eschewed comparative analysis of enduring economic strategies that lie at the heart of the massive growth of African cities. By focusing on the longer-term historical role of such processes -namely urban rents and urban price regulations -this article suggests a more comparative framework for the study of urban Africa that still accounts for the otherwise seemingly hyper-local and idiosyncratic forms of urban livelihoods and strategies.

Haramaya University, Ethiopia (2) Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia In a first step to understa... more 1) Haramaya University, Ethiopia (2) Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia In a first step to understand the interactions between Coffea arabica L. trees and mycorrhizae in Ethiopia, an investigation of the current mycorrhizal colonization status of roots was undertaken. We sampled 14 shade tree species occurring in coffee populations in Bonga forest, Ethiopia. Milletia ferruginea, Schefflera abyssinica, Croton macrostachyus, Ficus vasta, F. sur, Albizia gummifera, Olea capensis, Cordia africana, Ehretia abyssinica, Pouteria adolfi-friederici, Pavetta oliveriana, Prunus africana, Phoenix reclinata and Polyscias fulva. Coffee trees sampled under each shade tree were all shown to be colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM fungi). Four genera and 9 different species of AM fungi were found in the soils. Glomus (Sp1, Sp2, & Sp3 & Sp4), Scutellospora (Sp1 & Sp2) and Gigaspora (Sp1 & Sp2)

After independence in 1980 Zimbabwe's cities experienced a proliferation in the number of squatte... more After independence in 1980 Zimbabwe's cities experienced a proliferation in the number of squatter camps. This was because of the failure of the urban economy to offer adequate housing and jobs, leaving peri-urban space as the only sanctuary for the urban poor to live in and eke out a living informally. The promotion of rural 'growth points' by the national government to promote rural development to discourage migration to urban areas failed. Yet, a poor policy response by the state to this negative outcome of rapid urbanisation that aims to reverse this rural-urban migration has led to unending confrontations between its various arms and squatters who continue to be regarded as encroachers. Focussing on Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and based on interviews, archival research, Council minutes and newspapers, this article critiques the state's urban development policy vis-à-vis squatters and informality. It is argued that the persistence of a salient perception by government officials that all Africans belong to rural areas and have access to land they can fall back on in hard times serves as a vital lubricant to the state's action of forcibly sending squatters to rural areas. This ignores the historical pattern of rapid urbanisation and the growth of informal economies supporting the livelihoods of thousands of people. I seek to add to the literature on low-cost housing shortages, urban squatters and peri-urbanism in Zimbabwe and on studies of informality in Third World cities in general. A draft of this paper was presented at GAPSYM5 (r)Urban Africa Symposium, Friday 2 December 2011, Ghent University, Ghent. I would like to thank the anonymous reviewers of this journal for their comments on the paper. The final views expressed in this article remain entirely mine.

In 1977 Somalia invaded Ethiopia hoping to seize the Ogaden, an Ethiopian region predominantly in... more In 1977 Somalia invaded Ethiopia hoping to seize the Ogaden, an Ethiopian region predominantly inhabited by ethnic Somali. Histories of this event are rare and focus exclusively on the political and military aspects of the conflict. This is not surprising given the Cold War backdrop of the conflict. This article, however, shifts the focus away from the political towards the personal. Focus here is on the different roles Ogadeni women took up in the Somali-Ethiopian war, also known as the Ogaden war. Through interviews with former actors in the conflict it became clear that women occupied a range of roles in the war, varying from victims or care-givers to active participants in militias and front-line combat. In conflicts today, Somali women still retain many of these roles. Originally some Somalis did oppose this state of affairs, today most seem to have accepted the phenomenon of female actors in the Ogaden war, even though that approval can be linked with a political agenda. Both Ogadeeni and Somali women were active in the war, transcending Somali clan lines along the way. Accounts of the women interviewed illustrate the effects of their choice to participate in the Ogaden war.

Indigenous knowledge (IK) has a role to play for households and community well-being in Uganda. H... more Indigenous knowledge (IK) has a role to play for households and community well-being in Uganda. However, IK is undergoing significant change and is on the decline in Uganda because of factors such as acculturation or the loss of IK through exposure to external cultures. In this paper we review some of the roles of, and threats to, IK with particular reference to the local community of Kaliro District. We make some recommendations on how to conserve IK in Kaliro and elsewhere in Uganda.

The Koga project is the first new large-scale irrigation scheme in the Blue Nile river basin sinc... more The Koga project is the first new large-scale irrigation scheme in the Blue Nile river basin since the 1970s and may thus serve as an example of the tremendous changes of landscape and livelihood that are accompanying current water development projects in Ethiopia. This article analyzes the impoverishment risks arising out of the development-induced relocation of households in Koga. Following the Impoverishment Risk and Reconstruction model, seven of eight impoverishment risks could be identified, namely temporal landlessness, homelessness, joblessness, social marginalization, loss of household assets, social disarticulation and food insecurity, though the majority of relocated households succeeded in moving to other rural areas and did not face the challenges caused by urbanization. The Koga project and the local municipality undertook activities to reverse the impoverishment risk for the relocated households, but focused on the reconstruction of material livelihood assets (land, houses and compensation). The extent of rural-urban migration as a result of the project was underestimated. Proactive activities by the affected households succeeded in reducing their risk of impoverishment if they were informed early enough about the irrigation project.

Soon after apartheid was abolished in 1994, the quest for a new, 'authentic' South African identi... more Soon after apartheid was abolished in 1994, the quest for a new, 'authentic' South African identity resulted in the emergence of the "Rainbow Nation" idea, picturing an equal, multicultural and reconciled society. As architecture is considered a crucial element in the promotion of this Rainbow identity, the country witnessed a remarkable "building boom" with its apogee roughly between 1998 and 2010. Huge investments have been made in state-driven projects which place the apartheid memory at the center of the architectural debate -mostly museums and memorials. However, the focus of this paper shall lie on another, less highlighted tendency in current architectural practice. This paper demonstrates that, through the construction of urban community services, South African architects attempt to materialize the Rainbow Nation in a way that might be closer to the everyday reality of society.

The study of Africa and its peoples in the United States has a complex history. It has involved t... more The study of Africa and its peoples in the United States has a complex history. It has involved the study of both an external and internal other, of social realities in Africa and the condition of people of African descent in the United States. This paper traces and examines the complex intellectual, institutional, and ideological histories and intersections of African studies and African American studies. It argues that the two fields were founded by African American scholar activists as part of a Pan-African project before their divergence in the historically white universities after World War II in the maelstrom of decolonization in Africa and civil rights struggles in the United States. However, from the late 1980s and 1990s, the two fields began to converge, a process captured in the development of what has been called Africana studies. The factors behind this are attributed to both demographic shifts in American society and the academy including increased African migrations in general and of African academics in particular fleeing structural adjustment programs that devastated African universities, as well as the emergence of new scholarly paradigms especially the field of diaspora studies. The paper concludes with an examination of the likely impact of the Obama era on Africana studies.

This work reviews literature on ethnobotanical knowledge of wild edible plants and their potentia... more This work reviews literature on ethnobotanical knowledge of wild edible plants and their potential role in combating food insecurity in Ethiopia. Information on a total of 413 wild edible plants belonging to 224 genera and 77 families was compiled in this review. Shrubs represented 31% of species followed by trees (30%), herbs (29%) and climbers (9%). Families Fabaceae (35 species), Tiliaceae (20) and Capparidaceae (19) were found to be represented by the highest number of edible species. About 56% (233) of species have edibility reports from more than one community in Ethiopia. Fruits were reported as the commonly utilized edible part in 51% of species. It was found that studies on wild edible plants of Ethiopia cover only about 5% of the country's districts which indicates the need for more ethnobotanical research addressing all districts. Although there have been some attempts to conduct nutritional analyses of wild edible plants, available results were found to be insignificant when compared to the wild edible plant wealth of the country. Results also show that wild edible plants of Ethiopia are used as supplementary, seasonal or survival food sources in many cultural groups, and hence play a role in combating food insecurity. The presence of anthropogenic and environmental factors affecting the wild plant wealth of the country calls for immediate action so as to effectively document, produce a development plan and utilize the plants.

Female Genital Cutting (FGC), also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Female Circumcisi... more Female Genital Cutting (FGC), also known as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Female Circumcision (FC), continues to be a prevalent practice in many parts of the world and especially in Africa. This is somewhat perplexing given the concerted efforts aimed at eradicating this practice. This article argues that the perpetuation of FGC is due to the unintended effects of marginalization experienced by individuals and groups of women as a result of the approach of some of the anti-FGC global discourses and policies put forward to eradicate the practice. This, we argue, happens when the social structure that provides such groups and individuals with a sense of identity and belonging breaks down. Therefore, the attack on what practicing communities consider to be of crucial cultural value causes a re-focus on the practice resulting in a re-formulation and re-invention of these practices in a bid to counter the feelings of alienation. FGC is thus reframed and reconstructed as a reaction against these campaigns. This article intends to investigate the socio-cultural-symbolic nexus surrounding the practice of FGC, its meaning and implications with respect to its continued existence. It draws examples mainly from communities in Kenya that practice FGM as a rite of passage into adulthood. Herein, perhaps, lies the driving force behind the practice in this contemporary age: it carries a lot of significance with respect to transformational processes, and it is seen as crucial in the representation of the body, identity and belonging. The aim of this article is not to defend FGC's continuation, but rather to explore the interplay between its changing socio-cultural dimensions as a counter-reaction to the eradication discourse and policies. In this way we will try to explore some of the factors that lay behind its perpetuation.

Relations between colonial and post-colonial studies in and on Cameroon have been both continuous... more Relations between colonial and post-colonial studies in and on Cameroon have been both continuous and discontinuous. As reflected in the domains of historiography and social anthropology, this has impacted on ethnic self-representations and popular labeling. This paper examines contrasting drives that have led to a replication of colonial redefinitions of ethnicity and how this informs current discussions on ethnicity in Cameroon. The argument is that certain research works have informed or substantially influenced the identity question when one aknowledges that the colonial period is a bench mark epoch in the establishment of certain categories of ethnic perception. Although substantially deconstructed at the scientific level, these categories have survived and continue to influence social categories of perception that become common sense intrusions (what Bourdieu called doxa) into social science. afrika focus -Volume 24, Nr. 2 [ 34 ] e. yenshu vubo afrika focus -2011-12 [ 35 ] European and Cameroonian scholarship on ethnicity and the making of identities in Cameroon afrika focus -Volume 24, Nr. 2 [ 36 ] e. yenshu vubo

This article first describes the New Policy Agenda (NPA), a market-based ideology influencing don... more This article first describes the New Policy Agenda (NPA), a market-based ideology influencing donor agencies' strategies for international development. The article then continues to discuss how community-based women organizations (CBWOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) evaluate their collaborations or 'partnerships' in practice in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. We tested the research hypothesis that the NPA reduces the likelihood of achieving equitable partnerships because of its insistence on 'contracting' partners, i.e. creating a patron-client relationship. This was carried out through qualitative research consisting mainly of semi-structured interviews and participatory observation with NGOs and CBWO representatives working in Kibera. Research results show that the contract conditions for CBWOs to enter into a partnership may reduce the chances of the most vulnerable groups in society of obtaining assistance. This 'contracting' relationship may also cause a loss of CBWO members' motivation. The NPA and its emphasis on saving time and money also has a negative impact not only on the external development actors' knowledge about the development context, but also on the multiple accountabilities in a CBWO-NGO partnership, on the quick-fix nature of the solutions applied to remedy the lack of accountability and on the practical implementation of 'participatory development' in Kibera.

Le conflit armé qui a éclaté en Côte d'Ivoire le 19 septembre 2002 a conduit à la partition du pa... more Le conflit armé qui a éclaté en Côte d'Ivoire le 19 septembre 2002 a conduit à la partition du pays entre le Nord et le Sud. La rébellion des Forces Nouvelles qui contrôle la moitié nord du pays a justifié son action par la dénonciation de l'exclusion et des injustices sociales dont les « nordistes » seraient les victimes. Cette rébellion a été rejointe par de nombreux jeunes originaires du Nord. Cette étude basée sur les études de cas et biographies de 22 jeunes combattants de la rébellion et des entretiens avec leurs leaders montre les raisons justifiant leur engagement. Elle questionne leurs perceptions du conflit et analyse les rhétoriques de la justification. Il ressort que dans l'ensemble des cas, l'engagement a pour but la reconnaissance de leur citoyenneté qui passe par l'acquisition de cartes d'identités. Le sentiment victimaire né de l'exercice de la violence légale par les forces de l'ordre, la vengeance, le besoin de sécurité ou encore l'attrait pour le métier des armes nourrissent les motivations qui conduisent à l'enrôlement des jeunes. L'étude montre aussi l'existence d'un environnement s'appuyant sur la parenté, un discours culturel et la mobilisation de la mémoire ancestrale collective qui ont favorisé l'adhésion des jeunes nordistes au mouvement rebelle. Au-delà des expériences individuelles, l'étude découvre, non une armée ethnique mais plus une organisation à base identitaire engagée dans la renégociation violente de son appartenance nationale.

This article presents an account of a legal system that has fundamentally failed Ethiopia´s young... more This article presents an account of a legal system that has fundamentally failed Ethiopia´s young and vulnerable citizens. The Ethiopian justice process has permitted the subjection of child victims to cycles of traumatisation during investigation, prosecution and trial phases of cases in which they are involved. Ethiopia does not have laws that require the special treatment of children who are victims or witnesses of crime. It has neither rules of criminal procedure nor evidence that direct the conduct of criminal proceedings involving child victims. This article will show that although the Ethiopian Constitution incorporates principles such as the consideration of 'the best interests of the child', the realization of this principle for the Ethiopian child victim of crime remains illusory due to the absence of detailed rules that guide and compel the justice process to that effect. Based on empirical data, the article argues further that although ad hoc initiatives to introduce victims to a child-friendly justice process exist in a limited number of urban areas, these initiatives do not reach the vast majority of child victims around the country who continue to be further victimized by the justice process.

Cette étude avait pour objectif la caractérisation phéno-morphologique de 13 lignées de fève séle... more Cette étude avait pour objectif la caractérisation phéno-morphologique de 13 lignées de fève sélectionnées à l'Institut des Régions Arides de Medenine (Tunisie) à partir de 42 populations traditionnelles. La variabilité phéno-morphologique de ces lignées a été documentée et suivie du semis jusqu'à la maturité des graines par des mesures biométriques et des évaluations qualitatives sur différentes parties des plantes. Les caractères morphologiques ont été décrits en se basant sur le descripteur de l'UPOV (2000) pour l'espèce Vicia faba L. L'analyse des résultats permet de distinguer 2 groupes en se basant sur le critère précocité et le poids de cent graines. Le premier groupe est constitué par la lignée 8 et se distingue par le fait qu'elle est la plus précoce et présente le poids de cent graines le plus élevé. Le deuxième groupe se subdivise en 3 sous-groupes qui diffèrent entre eux par la vigueur et la productivité de la plante. Le premier sous-groupe renferme les lignées 5, 10, 11, 12 et 13 se caractérise par un nombre de fleurs par racème plus faible, avec un poids moyen de cent graines variant de 162,96 à 165,24 g et des nombres de graines par gousse les plus élevés. Le deuxième sous-groupe englobe les lignées 6, 7, et 9 qui sont les plus homogènes du point de vue de la date de 50 % floraison, hauteur finale de la plante et longueur de la foliole. Le dernier sous-groupe inclus les lignées 1, 2, 3 et 4 qui sont caractérisées par un nombre de gousses par plante, un nombre de tiges par plante, et un nombre de fleurs par racème les plus élevés. Ces lignées devraient être conservées et valorisées pour les programmes d'amélioration variétale de l'espèce Vicia faba par des sélections successives jusqu'à l'obtention d'une variété synthétique plus productive et mieux adaptée aux conditions arides du Sud Tunisien.