Journal of Asian and African Studies recent issues

NGOs as Political Institutions

Ghosh, S. — 2009-09-28

Institutions are essentially broadly agreed norms, rules and routines. They might have arisen out of social conflicts with strong influence of power relations, but they also face the demands of democracy. While studying NGOs as political institutions, particularly in the context of a number of developing countries, this article argues that the political context of their action is determined by their relationship with the donors and social movements. Second, NGOs promote democracy when they redefine participation in terms of their relationship with state and society; and contribute to improve the quality of participation, although with much less success in promoting internal democracy.

Financial Crises, Politics and Financial Sector Restructuring: A Comparison between Japan and the United States

Konoe, S. — 2009-09-28

This article analyzes and compares the financial sector restructuring process after the financial crises in Japan and the United States. As these financial crises deepened, countries shifted their policies away from postponing financial sector restructuring toward more thorough reforms. The impacts of different political structures are examined through the Small-N Case Study method. Cases include: the bursting of the financial bubble in the 1990s in Japan and the Savings and Loan crisis in the 1980s in the USA, both of which are analyzed through a review of academic literature, journalistic writings, and statistical data from the World Wide Web.

Multinational Corporations and Their Impact on Educational Policies of a State: A Case Study of India

Singh, N. — 2009-09-28

The spread of the forces of globalization have significantly affected the modern world. Thus, in this article, I attempt to identify how globalization has negatively influenced development of tertiary or higher educational policies in underdeveloped countries. Using the case study of India, I observe that the liberalization of the Indian economy resulted in a large inflow of foreign direct investment which in turn influenced the emergence of a new higher education policy, in order to meet the manpower requirements of multinational corporations. Such a policy has increased social dissatisfaction within the society due to the dichotomy between the needs and wants of the citizens, resulting in growth of social conflict.

A Revisit to the Indian Role in the Bangladesh Liberation War

Haider, Z. — 2009-09-28

The Liberation War of Bangladesh was seen by the Indian policy makers as a prime time to dismember Pakistan. By the creation of Bangladesh, they pondered: (a) the political enemy on both its borders would be replaced by a far weaker enemy on one side and a friend on the other; (b) secularism would be regarded as a dominant ideology for the developing countries; (c) India would emerge as an Asian superpower; (d) India would establish a subservient government in Bangladesh; (e) Bangladesh would be an extension of the Indian market; (f) India would materialize the Nehruvian vision of the Greater Indian Union.

Public Sector Reform and Good Governance: The Impact of Foreign Aid on Bangladesh

Parnini, S. N. — 2009-09-28

Developing countries relying on the assistance of donors have become particularly prone to imposed conditions of aid in the form of requirements on specific reform strategies to ensure good governance. Donors or multilateral agencies have taken leading roles in defining good governance. The donors began to impose good governance conditions on provisions of debt relief and new loans or grants in Bangladesh in the 1990s. They widened conditionality to include transparent administration, the protection of human rights and democracy, as well as public sector reform in Bangladesh. The World Bank made issues of corruption a major element in its governance agenda in Bangladesh. Global pressures to cooperate and compete, rising expectations of citizens and the need to reduce public deficits are changing the way Bangladesh needs to be governed.

British Administration and the Chiefs' Tyranny in Early Colonial Kenya: A Case Study of the First Generation of Chiefs from Kiambu District, 1895--1920

Wamagatta, E. N. — 2009-07-06

This article argues that the chiefs' tyranny in early colonial Kenya had its roots in the British administrative style since the Government needed strong-handed local leaders to enforce its unpopular laws and regulations. That was why the chiefs got away with their tyranny because the Government condoned it to a certain extent. They also got away with it because of the alien nature of their positions, their duties and their people inadvertently condoning it. The first generation of chiefs from Kiambu district is used as a case study to illustrate what was happening in the colony during the period under study.

The Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (CEMAC) and the Decline of Sovereignty

Godwin Bongyu, M. — 2009-07-06

Unlike many texts, the constitutive act of the Treaty instituting CEMAC contains no provision regarding the sovereignty of states. The CEMAC policies capture virtually all fundamental aspects of community life: legal integration; harmonization of economic, financial and monetary policies; convergence of budgetary policies; and the free circulation of goods, capital and persons. This article purports that communitarization entails ultimately the diminishing of the national sovereignties and, in spite of some limits, CEMAC is a step in the right direction. The existence of effective community organizations within the African zone can serve as catalysts to the larger and most needed African Union.

The Eastern Muslims of Sri Lanka: Special Problems and Solutions

Imtiyaz, A.R.M. — 2009-07-06

Conflict in Sri Lanka between the Tamils and the Sinhalese brought the Eastern Muslims into the crossfire. Muslim elites and politicians generally cooperate with the Sinhalese ruling class. Such cohabitation irritated the Tamils. Since 1985, relations between the Tamils and the Muslims in the Eastern region have become strained, and Muslims claimed they have some problems to be solved. This study attempts to identify some special problems of the Eastern Muslims. A questionnaire on the special problems of the Eastern Muslims was distributed to the Eastern youth, students, unemployed Muslims and farmers. The population of the target group was selected randomly. More than 150 questionnaires were issued with a 75 percent response rate. Interviews were also conducted on the phone with an educated section of the Eastern Muslims. This study also suggests solutions to the protracted ethno-political conflict based on power sharing.

Look Who's Talking!: Second Thoughts about NGOs as Representing Civil Society

Holmen, H., Jirstrom, M. — 2009-07-06

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are major players in development aid today. It is widely believed they represent civil society and that, for example, the UN and the World Bank would be strengthened if NGOs were given a larger influence over policy formulation and development. As one can hardly speak of an NGO community, the issue of representation is far from easily solved. NGOs often compete for visibility, clients and influence, and representation leaves a lot to be desired. Hence, governments' and inter-governmental institutions' reluctance to accept immediately NGOs as partners, may be necessary for NGOs to become representative and, paradoxically, for strengthening civil society as well.

Negotiations of `Tradition' in Nigeria: Creation of States, the Military and Local Domains

Kraxberger, B. — 2009-07-06

This article explores the dynamism of traditional political institutions by examining the state-creation process in 1990s Nigeria. Struggles over the Nigerian political map have involved sometimes bitter contests over land, resources and identity. Traditional rulers and institutions have been key players in these struggles. The article analyzes two key relationships: negotiations of tradition with reference to new state proposals (with an emphasis on territorial boundaries and administrative headquarters), and the two-way negotiations of survival involving military rulers and traditional political leaders. Semi-structured interviews with key correspondents and archival work were employed in the research. The research includes a primary case study of Ekiti State from the Southwest, and complementary material from other areas of Nigeria.

Gender Differences in Living Arrangements Among Older Persons in India

Chaudhuri, A., Roy, K. — 2009-05-20

This article uses the 52nd round of National Sample Survey data to examine gender differences in living arrangement choices of the elderly in India. Older women are more likely to live alone than older men, even after controlling for demographics, socioeconomic characteristics, health status, economic independence and property ownership. Economic independence is associated with higher likelihood of living alone for men and women. While physical immobility decreases the likelihood of living with children or extended family for older men, older and physically immobile women are less likely to live alone if they have sons rather than daughters.

The Niger Famine: A Collapse of Entitlements and Democratic Responsiveness

Rubin, O. — 2009-05-20

By applying a widely accepted method for famine operationalization, the 2005 food crisis in Niger is categorized as a famine. This presents a unique opportunity to assess Amartya Sen's two most important famine contributions: (1) the entitlement framework for famine analysis; and (2) the hypothesis of a positive effect of democracy on famine protection. The fact that the Niger famine was caused by unfavorable terms of trade rather than a collapse in food production supports the focus of the entitlement framework on access to food; nevertheless, the belated and inadequate response to the crisis from the democratically elected Nigerien government appears to undermine the link between a pluralistic political system and effective famine protection.

Contending Nationalisms in a Transnational Era: The Case of Ethiopianist and Oromo Nationalisms

Yusuf, S. — 2009-05-20

Embarking on an outlook pertinent to the state of social fields in a global era, this article demonstrates the validity of the insight that rejects any strict bifurcation between localizing and globalizing tendencies in the maintenance of social life-worlds. By employing an appropriate term for the `transgressive' nature of nationalistic imaginations and actions, `transnationalism', it delves into qualitatively, but briefly analyzing the current status and futurity of, and the nature of the relationship that exists between, Ethiopianist and Oromo (a specific brand) nationalisms. The result is that neither of the two nationalisms seems to vanish amid the `network society' of the new global era, nor, by implication, is the contention between them likely to recede (until and unless they undergo significant, internal qualitative transformations).

Explaining `Minor' Party Nominations in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Cases of Ethiopia, Zambia and Malawi

Ishiyama, J. — 2009-05-20

To what extent do parties in Africa behave in ways similar to parties in new democracies elsewhere in the world? I examine nominations by the `minor' opposition parties to the single member districts for the legislative elections in Ethiopia, Malawi and Zambia. Using binary logit analysis, I found that generally the number of candidates running in a contest and the use of an `electoral arithmetic' by the parties explains whether they chose to nominate a candidate in a particular electoral district. However, the social demographic characteristics of districts appear to have little impact on whether or not a party nominates a candidate.

Review Essay: Streams of Global Self-(Re)Making: A Review of Himadeep Muppidi's The Politics of the Global and Sharad Chari's Fraternal Capital: Peasant-Workers, Self-Made Men and Globalization in Provincial India

Osha, S. — 2009-05-20

Book Review: Abiodun Alao (2007) Natural Resources and Conflict in Africa: The Tragedy of Endowment. Rochester Studies in History and the African Diaspora. New York: University of Rochester Press. pp. xix + 353. $85.00 (cloth)

Danton, C. — 2009-05-20

Book Review: Itaru Ohta and Yntiso D. Gebre (eds) (2005) Displacement Risks in Africa: Refugees, Resettlers and Their Host Population. Kyoto: Kyoto University Press. pp. 394

Danton, C. — 2009-05-20

Book Review: Hakeem Ibikunle Tijani (ed.) (2006) Nigeria's Urban History: Past and Present. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. pp. xiv + 256. $37.00

Shola Omotola, J. — 2009-05-20

Book Review: James Giblin (2006) A History of the Excluded: Making Family a Refuge from State in Twentieth-Century Tanzania. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press/James Currey. pp. 304 $55 (cloth), $26.95 (pbk) Andrew Burton (2005) African Underclass: Urbanisation, Crime, and the Colonial Order in Dar es Salaam. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press/James Currey. pp. 301 $49.95 (cloth), $26.95 (pbk)

Stiles, E. E. — 2009-05-20

Politics in Bangladesh: Need for a Reconceptualization of the Politico-Legal Approach to Mitigate Women's Disadvantaged Positions in the Parliament

Begum, A. — 2009-03-17

Bangladesh has been fighting a losing battle over the last 34 years with no indication of even a minimal positive impact on women's participation in the Parliament. Women represent only two per cent of the parliamentary seats. In holding ministries, their positions never exceed three per cent. Nearly 80 per cent of the Parliamentary Standing Committees have no women. The government's affirmative measure has conceived a highly flawed vision that essentially promotes disrespect for the notion of `equality' and makes women MPs `ornamental and passive beneficiaries'. In addition, the sociocultural dynamics that legitimate women's inequality have posed a serious challenge to the constitutional approach to equality, exacerbating by political requirements that force women to further remain beyond the purview of power. Given the reality, a substantial reconstruction of the whole politico-legal approach is not only desirable but also essential to combat women's disadvantaged positions in the Parliament.

Aspects of Culture and Meaning in Botswana English

Alimi, M. M., Bagwasi, M. M. — 2009-03-17

Using samples from local newspapers, letters and public speeches, this article argues that English assimilates to and reflects the Botswana culture through borrowing and semantic modification. It discusses those terminologies and expressions that depict the cultural values of Batswana in the usage of English in Botswana. Two types of borrowed items are discussed: those depicting old traditional practices that cannot be translated into English (kgosi and mophato) and those reflecting recent socio-political experiences in Botswana including the HIV/AIDS threat (tebelopele and omang). The people's culture is also expressed by items such as brigade and the lands that have been semantically modified.

Millennium Development Goal of Halving Poverty in Asia: Progress, Prospects and Priorities

Gaiha, R., Imai, K., Mani Arul Nandhi, — 2009-03-17

This article assesses the prospects of achieving the Millennium Development Goal of halving income poverty in Asia, and identifies policy priorities. The main findings are: (1) in East Asia, the actual growth rate exceeds that required to achieve this goal, while in South Asia, it falls short of the required rate; (2) the required rates of agricultural growth are, however, higher than the actual in both East Asia and South Asia; (3) moderate growth and reduction of income inequality will have a substantial poverty reduction impact; and, finally, (4) even modest improvements in institutional quality will reduce poverty substantially through higher incomes.

African Ethics, Health Care Research and Community and Individual Participation

Jegede, S. — 2009-03-17

This article discusses the appropriateness of western bioethics in the African setting. It focuses on the decision-making process regarding participation in health research as a contested boundary in international bioethics discourse. An ethnomethodological approach is used to explain African ethics, and African ethic is applied to the decision-making process in the African community. An HIV/AIDS surveillance project is used as a case study to explore the concept of communitarianism. The article argues that what exists in Africa is communal or social autonomy as opposed to individual autonomy in the West. As a result, applying the western concept of autonomy to research involving human subjects in the African context without adequate consideration for the important role of the community is inappropriate. It concludes that lack of adequate consideration for community participation in health research involving human subjects in Africa will prevent proper management and lack truly informed consent.

Book Review: Polycarp Ikuenobe (2006) Philosophical Perspectives on Communalism and Morality in African Traditions. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books. pp. 329. $29.95 (pbk)

Boye Ejobowah, J. — 2009-03-17