Public Symposium on Ethnic Diversity and Economic Instability in Africa

Although a sustainable economic growth rate of 5% or over per annum for the last decade has been recorded, many African states have also suffered from civil wars, famines and communicable diseases for a long time since their independence in the 1960s from European colonial rule. Africa is characterized by its diversity. Out of the 54 countries in the region, there are quite a few that have a complicated demographic composition of different ethnic groups.

It has been pointed out by the school of development economics that a negative correlation in quantitative terms exists between ethnic diversity and economic growth. We should have a thorough understanding of the factors that may destabilize an economy, and then take the most appropriate coping measures to achieve long-term sustainable economic growth. Although ethnic diversity is regarded as a destabilizing factor, the mechanism of how this and an unstable economy is interlinked is still unclear.

Given such a background, JICA Research Institute (JICA-RI) and Research Institute for Economics and Business Administration (RIEB) – Kobe University, have been implementing a joint research project to undertake a comprehensive examination of the link between ethnic diversity and economic instability in Africa. With the participation of international researchers in different academic disciplines including economics, political science, anthropology, history and others, the project aims to identify the implications on appropriate economic policies and governance for the African states.

Our first book, “Ethnic Diversity and Economic Instability in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives”, which contains many chapters by the collaborating researchers, will soon be published by Cambridge University Press. Taking this opportunity, we hereby organize a public symposium cum book launch so that we can introduce the new book and share our findings and policy implications with the audience.

We would like your participation. For more details, please see the tentative program below.

Tentataive Program

09:30–09:40 Opening Remarks:
TBD, JICA

09:40–10:50 Launch of Ethnic Diversity and Economic Instability in Africa: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, the Cambridge University Press
Presentation:
Hiroyuki Hino, Kobe University / JICA-RI
John Lonsdale, University of Cambridge
Gustav Ranis, Yale University
Frances Stewart, University of Oxford
Comments:
Raufu Mustapha, University of Oxford
Thandika Mkandawire, London School of Economics
Paul Tiyambe Zeleza, Loyola Marymount University
Nahomi Ichino, Harvard University

Q & A

10:50 –11:05 Break

11:05 –12:20 Recommendations on the Way Forward:Institutions and Policies to Achieve Growth
with Equity in Africa

Presentation:
Motoki Takahashi, Kobe University
Panel Discussion:
Benno Ndulu, Bank of Tanzania
Ernest Aryeetey, University of Ghana
Daniel Posner, MIT
Bruce Berman, Queen’s University

Q & A

12:20 –12:30 Closing Remarks:
Nobuaki Hamaguchi, Director, RIEB, Kobe University

Please click the "Apply" button below and fill in the application form. The deadline for the application is Sunday 22nd July. Please note that we may close applications before the date in case we reach the fixed number. We regret that we cannot provide any financial support for your travel to join this symposium.

Kasahara(Ms)/Watabe(Ms), Research Programme Div., JICA Research Institute
E-mail: ditas-rsunit@jica.go.jp TEL: 03-3269-2959 FAX: 03-3269-2054