The study of International Relations has for too long excluded many subjects of concern that are considered to be core issues in Africa and other developing societies. However, the international system is changing from its traditional Western-dominated order with the rise of others, most especially Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (the BRICS group of countries), which are bringing a new momentum to global-south relations. One of the implications of this development is the rise of alternative perspectives and narratives based on the experiences of the developing societies in International Relations. Amidst this, there is a growing attention to Africa in theories and practices of International Relations. The arrival of emerging powers on the shores of Africa in competition with the West has introduced a new dynamic into the geopolitics of the continent. The economic growth recorded in the continent in the last decade has also raised Africa's standing and perspectives in International Relations.
It is against this background that Cornelissen, Cheru and Shaw have sought to present African Studies in the context of International Relations in the 21st century in their book. Karen Smith's contribution, ‘Africa as an agent of International Relations knowledge’, is important to understand the volume. It explores the relevance of looking south in search of the differences between established International Relations knowledge and the reality beyond the West. She notes that it is important to fully appreciate the unique experiences of Africa and other developing societies and the ways they are challenging the conventional knowledge in the field of International Relations. In doing this, however, Africa's differences need not be overemphasised to the point that they become a basis to further marginalise the region (25). Hence, Africa can contribute to the understanding of International Relations by adapting existing theories and concepts to local context, moving beyond state-centrism, and exploring alternative understandings of state behaviour or different ways of doing International Relations. The field can also benefit from contributions that explore other academic fields, popular culture, new media and everyday life of the people (26).
Beyond the introductory chapter by the editors and Smith's contribution, the nine chapters that follow present African perspectives on many International Relations subjects, including collectivism, statehood, sovereignty, authority, territoriality, migration, diaspora, nationalism, transnationalism and gender and governance. Drawing on African experiences with a consensus approach to decision making and the pan-Africanist solidarity in International Relations, Thomas Tieku's contribution examines the collectivist worldview of state and its prospects over the established individualist worldview of inter-state politics. The chapter by Ulf Engel and Gorm Oslen debunks the ‘failed state’ thesis with Africa's changing regimes of territoriality vis-à-vis the arrangement of authority that involves both state and non-state actors with their varying degree of legitimacy.
The rest of the volume focuses on how the nexus of territory and identity constitutes an innovation from below (Sabelo J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni) and on the subject of (in)security. Amidst what is widely considered as statelessness in African countries like Somalia, alternative state and governance-building approaches have emerged in the recent past, as described by Louise Moe. ROAPE editor Alfred Zack-Williams contributes a chapter on how the role of diaspora in situations of armed conflict and building a sustainable peace and development in African countries like Sierra Leone have made an important impression on International Relations. A case study by Darshan Vigneswaran and Loren Landau on the growing question of immigration control in South Africa is a remarkable contribution on the transformation of sovereign territoriality. The continent has a rich experience that cannot be ignored in the field of International Relations when it comes to resource-based conflicts and contested sovereignties that involve sub-national struggles, which often transcend national frontiers, as is the case in Nigeria's Niger Delta (ROAPE contributing editor Cyril Obi). Africa has also experienced considerable privatisation of security and challenges in security governance (ROAPE contributing editor Rita Abrahamsen); and has seen a growing dynamic of gender roles in armed conflicts and peacebuilding (Jane Parpart and Lisa Thompson).
Africa and International Relations in the 21st century offers a critical, concise and balanced account of Africa and International Relations in the 21st century. Every contribution in the volume attempts to transcend the dominant narratives and refresh the connection between theories and the practices of International Relations in consideration of African experiences. The continent lacks fair representation in global governance, and its experiences or perspectives have limited international attention and appeal. In view of this, African engagements with existing multilateral arrangements and strategic south–south alliances are important in order to reposition the continent in global governance (207). As the volume promotes African experiences in International Relations, it also calls for more attention through research in this area. Indeed, the volume is an open invitation to raise the standing of African Studies and perspectives, with many areas in the field of International Relations left to be explored and integrated.