CALL FOR PAPERS FOR BOOK PROJECT ON THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF CORRUPTION IN AFRICA 1

PREAMBLE: Since the 1960s, when many African countries were granted their political independence by the Europeans, corruption has remained a significant obstacle to economic prospect and political development on the continent For over fifty years, Africa has remained the only continent in the world that is yet to significantly overcome the challenges of poverty, hunger, material deprivation, infrastructural decay, crushing economic conditions and moral decadence due to the pervasive problem of corruption in the political economies of many African countries. As a result of this problem, many government projects have collapsed and the state too has been unable to cater for the needs of the people. In fact, successive African governments and regimes have lost several billions of dollars to bad management and outright embezzlement of public funds leaving little funds for serious social, economic and political development. In an attempt to rescue their countries and the people from the menace, many African governments have undertaken several anti-corruption reforms, set up anti-corruption agencies and initiated commissions/panels of enquiries to unravel the severity of the problem within the post-colonial Africa state. However, two decades of reforms in post-Cold War Africa have not meaningfully changed the behavior of African governments, politicians, bureaucrats, civil servants, citizens and foreign investors towards corruption. Some development experts believe that, the problem of corruption in Africa is caused by the nature and character of the state, others think, it is caused by forces outside the state. This book project intends to explain the nature and character of the political economy of corruption in Africa with a view of determining what the major causes are and how these can be overcome in due course. The purpose of this book is to provide empirical research on the political economy of corruption in Africa from different scholars around the world. It is also expected to discuss the impact of Africa's political economy on the persistence of corruption in national life despite over fifty years of political independence of many African countries. It will also look critically at the nature and character of the African state that engenders corruption in government and in the larger society, the leadership challenge over the years, governance and management of the continent's economies that enhance the capacity of state and non-state actors to embezzle government's funds at the detriment of the masses. ABSTRACT SUBMISSION: Interested participants in the book project are expected to submit a 250-word abstract to dologbenla@unilag.edu.ng, derin_ologbenla@yahoo.co.uk, wadisawa@unilag.edu.ng or adisawazira@yahoo.com on or before October 30, 2014. The abstract must connect any of the sub-themes of the book project and be synthesized within the African political economy of corruption; Acceptance of the abstract will be communicated to authors on November 15, 2014. SUB-THEMES Corruption and Development in Africa Corruption and the Oil Sector in Africa Corruption and Economic Development in Africa Corruption and Political Development in Africa Corruption and Democratization in Africa Corruption and the Aviation Industry in Africa Corruption and Terrorism in Africa Corruption and Foreign Capital in Africa Corruption and the Neo-Liberal Capitalism in Africa Corruption and Globalization in Africa Corruption, Gender and Development in Africa Corruption and Trans-border Crimes in Africa Corruption, Institutional Reforms and Public Service Corruption and the Education Sector in Africa CONVENERS: DERIN OLOGBENLA Ph.D: Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. Mobile No: 08023135433. WAZIRI B. ADISA Ph.D: Lecturer and Research Fellow, Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos. Mobile No: 08027158459  SOURCE: http://www.unilag.edu.ng/newsdetails.php?NewsID=1807