Overview

For decades, Africa was falling apart. But now it is coming together, and Africans are achieving greatness. Despite the advances, though, the twenty-first century brings challenges to match each and every major opportunity. In Things Come Together, Robert Rotberg brings all of contemporary Africa into a single volume, extolling the successes and explaining the struggles. Rotberg is one of the world's foremost authorities on African politics and society, and in this book he synthesizes his knowledge of the continent into a concise overview of the current state of Africa and where it is likely headed.To that end, Rotberg considers Africa's myriad peoples. The continent is currently experiencing explosive population growth and rapid urbanization. How well are African states managing this epochal shift? He looks at how Africa's nations are governed, ranging from states with autocratic kleptocrats to democratized regimes that have made progress in achieving economic growth and battling corruption. He then turns to African economies, looking at growth levels, productivity, and persistent corruption. He concludes by filling in the picture, covering the effects of war, health care, wildlife management, varieties of religious belief, education, technology diffusion, and the character of both city and village life in this ever-evolving region.Throughout this sweeping work, Rotberg deftly moves readers across the continent, from Nigeria to South Africa, from Kenya to Senegal, to name a few. While there are undeniable cross-continental commonalities related to governance, demographics, and economic performance, he shows the unique variations of who and what is African. For anyone interested in reading a comprehensive yet pithy synthesis of a vast region possessing the world's fastest-growing population, this book is the ideal introduction.

Full Product Details

9780190942540

Table of Contents

Reviews

Written by a preeminent, indeed canonical, scholar of Africa, Things Come Together provides a compelling corrective to grim narratives about the continent's intractable upheavals, failures, and helplessness. While reaffirming that diverse socio-economic conundrums and multilayered political challenges continue to plague Africa, the book extols the region's remarkable resilience and real accomplishments. It carefully chronicles African progress in political governance, socio-economic modernization, and international integration, while offering persuasive reflections on the positive impact that transformative leadership has had (or can have) on the continent's developmental performance. Everyone who is interested in obtaining a big, balanced, up-to-date, picture of the African experience should read this magisterial, engrossing, factual, and lucidly crafted book. * Rotimi Suberu, Professor, Bennington College * In Things Come Together, Robert Rotberg uses the information and experiences garnered over a lifetime to explore the state of Africa and explain how, despite a clear recitation of all the challenges, the future is bright for significant parts of the continent. Rotberg covers every conceivable aspect of Africa - from economics and politics to education to wildlife - while managing at once to be all-encompassing and nuanced. Those new to Africa will find it a wonderful introduction and students of the continent will find that they have learned much. * Jeffrey Herbst, author of Democracy Works: Re-Wiring Politics to Africa's Advantage * Things Come Together is an encyclopaedic survey of the current state of the 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The book demonstrates a depth of research by a leading Africanist that is breathtaking in its sweep. It covers a wide range of topics from politics and economics to corruption and the rule of law; from education and health to agriculture and modern technology. This work is accessible and readable. It is essential reading for anyone interested in Africa. * Richard Goldstone, Retired Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa * By the end of this century, Africa's population will triple. How will the continent cope? Rotberg, a leading expert on Africa, provides grounds for an optimistic conclusion in this beautifully written summation of a life's work. * Joseph S. Nye, Jr, Harvard University and author of Do Morals Matter? Presidents and Foreign Policy from FDR to Trump *

Author Information

Robert I. Rotberg is President Emeritus of the World Peace Foundation and Founding Director of Harvard Kennedy School's Program on Intrastate Conflict. He was professor of political science and history at MIT, Academic Vice President of Tufts University, and President of Lafayette College. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has published a number of books and article on Africa, Asia, Latin America, and writes extensively for American, Canadian, and overseas newspapers. He has lived and worked extensively throughout Africa.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available