Shifting Paradigms of Theorising Africa in International Development Discourse: What Lessons for Survival?

Abstract

This study examines four theories (modernization, dependency, neo-liberalism, and post-neoliberalism) of international development to achieve two main objectives: to assess the relevance of each theory to the quest for, and reality of, African development; and to establish a balanced perspective of the African development reality. Relying on extant literature, the study adopts narrative-descriptive method to extract the basics of each theory’s views about international development vis-a-vis Africa’s position within the global political economy. It found that African development history parades three intellectual paradigms. One, Western theorists (of Europe and North America) wrote (and continue to write) to stereotype Africa within a pigeonhole of convenience for domination and exploitation. Two, African(ist) scholars theorised to condemn colonisation as purveyor of African dependency and under-development, and to express confidence in the assurance of African postcolonial development. Third, postcolonial development writers have thrown up a new paradigm, which is largely a binary struggle between the former two. The study also found that each theoretical paradigm significantly shapes up a specific perspective about Africa, thus creating a shifting trajectory. It concludes with some recommendations for African survival in the complex whirlpool of international development.