Perspectives on Politics, Production and Public Administration in Africa: Essays in Honour of Ole Therkildsen

The essays in this collection in honour of Ole Therkildsen analyse attempts to create development in Africa over the last half century. They have been written by specialists in development and African politics who have all interacted with Ole Therkildsen as researchers or development practitioners. The essays cover issues related to foreign aid, local government, public administration, taxation, agriculture and political systems, these being the central sites where development efforts are ordinarily undertaken. The thread running through the essays is a common concern with politics, how it should be understood and how it shapes development. In Africa, as elsewhere in the world, politics is
decisive for change, but poorly understood, sometimes neglected, and often depicted using rigid models. The book seeks to dig below the surface and do justice to the complexity of the politics of production and public administration in Africa.