Seifudein Adem. Africa’s Quest for Modernity: Lessons from China and Japan. Cham, Switzerland: Springer Link, 2023. 269 pp. £99.99. Paper. ISBN: 978-3031236563.
Year: 2024
Type: book-review
Abstract: Seifudein Adem provides an insightful and informative analysis of Africa's quest for modernization with valuable lessons from China and Japan.The author's views are influenced by Ali Mazrui's analysis of African modernization.Central research questions of this book include: Why did modernization or modernity elude Africa?How can Africa achieve modernization?It is important to examine these questions as Africa is home to more than one-eighth of the world's population and more than one-fourth of the total number of states.The book is divided into six parts.Part One is an overview of key arguments.Part Two examines China as a partner for African development.Part Three studies Japan as a model for African development.Part Four compares China and Japan's relations with Africa.Part Five draws lessons for Africa from Southeast Asia.Part Six offers a case study of China and Ethiopia.There are three perspectives on China's relations with Africa: Sino-optimism, Sino-pragmatism, and Sino-pessimism.Sino-optimism, Adem argues, is the dominant perspective in Africa today.It refers to the conviction or expectation that China is a force for good on the African continent.The sense of solidarity with Africa in China's diplomatic thought is quite deep-intrinsic interest underlies China's approach to Africa today.About two-thirds of China's loans to Africa are for infrastructure.China made possible the end of the steady marginalization of Africa in the global political economy by enabling the revival of or even rise in the world demand for (and price of) primary commodities such as agricultural products and minerals.The Sino-optimists believe that African modernization and China's rise are mutually beneficial and close cooperation between the two sides can be a win-win game.Sino-pragmatism points out both the strengths and weaknesses in China's relations with Africa.Many African leaders admire China's rapid development since the 1970s.Due to the vast differences in culture, politics, and economic structures, it is impossible for African countries to simply copy the "China model."On one hand, there are common interests between China and its African partners.On the other hand, some African leaders are concerned about the unbalanced nature of their trade and financial relationships.Sino-pessimism compares China with the former European colonial powers.People who hold this view tend to believe that China is more motivated by gaining access to Africa's vast natural resources than helping Africa to modernize.They criticize China for getting some African countries into deep debts and creating a pattern of African dependency on China for technological and financial support.
Source: African Studies Review
DOI: 10.1017/asr.2024.132
Author: Guoli Liu
Institution: College of Charleston
Language: English
Subfield: Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4402807893