Africa

Decent Gig Work in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Desmond T. Ayentimi, a senior lecturer of management at the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics, University of Tasmania, reflects on his most recent paper, “Decent Gig Work in sub-Saharan Africa.”

7 months ago
1216

We’re Seeing a Link Between Academic Freedom and Democracy in Africa

There’s a strong correlation between academic freedom and other elements of democracy. But cause and effect are not so clear. The African experience makes the relationship clearer because simultaneously, and in a relatively short time, the whole continent moved from one-party to multiparty systems.

7 months ago
880

Bridging the Divide Between Academics and Movements

For academic researchers working with social movements and activist groups can present unique challenges. Finding ways to work effectively together, whilst acknowledging differences in power and objectives, is often problematic. Drawing on perspectives from different social movements and academia, Diana Mitlin, Jhono Bennett, Philipp Horn, Sophie King, Jack Makau and George Masimba Nyama present insights from the Slum/Shack Dwellers International movement on how academics can successfully co-produce useful knowledge for social movements.

3 years ago
2285
South African students

In South Africa, OA is a Necessity, Not a Nicety

Individual academics and institutions have driven the open access process in South Africa. This bottom-up approach has its merits, argue John Butler-Adam, Susan Veldsman and Ina Smith, but a push from the top is needed to ensure that the nation stays on track.

7 years ago
875

Ranking African Universities Fraught and Futile

The director of directs the International Network for Higher Education in Africa argues that a nascent effort to rank the continent’s institutions of higher education ‘seems to me to be doomed from the start.’

8 years ago
1004