representing africa the geography of africa in world trade, 1960-1992文档.pdfVIP

Representing Africa: The Geography of Africa in World Trade, 1960-1992 Richard Grant* and john Agnew** *Department of Geography, Syracuse University **Department of Geography, University of California, Los Angeles large number of commentators with a the expectations of the various arguments en- wide range of intellectual and ideologi- countered in the literature. We then point to Acal positions have argued that the con- the critical geographical assumptions upon tinent of Africa is in dire straits both economi- which available explanations rest. cally and politically. A particular aspect of this The paper proceeds in five parts. Part one remarkable commonality of opinion concerns reviews the “falling out” thesis. Part two con- the declining situation of “Africa” within world siders the three main arguments o n the causes trade. From World Bank advisors to neo-marxists of falling out. Part three rehearses the contro- and some dependency theorists there is a versy over the quality of African trade data. Part growing current of opinion that views Africa as four outlines our results in relation to the falling in the process of “falling out” of the world out thesis and its putative causes. And part five economy. They differ, of course, over why this reviews the common geographical assump- has happened and what, if anything, can be tions that run through the various explanations done about it. Some believe that the present of Africa’s place in world trade. The main con- crisis is a prelude to Africa’s