This book discusses the role of cultural practices and policy for sustainable development in West Africa across different artistic disciplines, including performance, video, theatre, community arts and cultural heritage. Based on ethnographic field research in local communities, the book presents findings on current debates of cultural sustainability in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Benin. It provides a unique perspective connecting cultural studies, conflict studies and practical peacebuilding approaches through the arts. The first part pays particular attention to aspects of social cohesion and the circumstances of internally displaced persons e. g. caused by the Boko Haram insurgency in Northeast Nigeria. The second part focuses on cultural policy issues and challenges in the context of sustainable development, investigating participatory approaches and bottom-up processes, the role of governments and civil society, as well as performing arts organizations and universities in policy making and implementation processes. Performing Sustainability in West Africa presents research results and new methods on the role of artistic and cultural practices in conflict situations as well as current debates in cultural policy for researchers, academics, NGOs and students in cultural studies, sustainable development studies and African studies. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781003261025, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Sustainable Hydropower in West Africa: Planning, Operation, and Challenges provides a comprehensive overview of the planning, deployment and management of hydropower in West Africa and similar regions. The authors use a practical approach to analyze available technology, modeling methodologies and sustainability aspects, such as the dependence between climate and hydropower, and socio-economic and environmental impacts. They discuss the need for innovative solutions and how to close research gaps in the field for this region. Although more than 50% of West Africa’s hydropower potential is still untapped, re-engineering and maintenance of existing hydropower plants is a key issue and is discussed. Issues of productivity and optimization are also covered, as well as the introduction of new technology and integration of hydropower into existing energy systems—renewable energy systems, in particular. Policy and regulation are also examined, considering competing needs when managing water resources. The final chapter offers a summary of activities, strategies, policies and technology for easy reference and practical use. Due to its wide coverage and real life examples, this is a useful reference for engineering professionals in the field of hydropower, working in West Africa and regions with similar conditions. This book helps engineers make technology and location decisions for planning, deploying and operating hydropower plants. The book’s accessible language and international authorship also allows for easy use by energy researchers, analysts and policy makers who need information for the analysis, modeling, financing, implementation and regulation of hydropower in West Africa and related regions. Presents the most current issues related to hydropower deployment and management in West Africa and regions with similar conditions Discusses key challenges, focusing on practical aspects and methodologies Explores the technological, sustainability and economic aspects to be considered when deploying, operating and maintaining hydropower plants in West Africa and similar regions

Sacred Rice explores the cultural intricacies through which Jola farmers in West Africa are responding to their environmental and economic conditions given the centrality of a crop--rice--that is the lynchpin for their economic, social, religious, and political worlds. Based on more than ten years of author Joanna Davidson's ethnographic and historical research on rural Guinea-Bissau, this book looks at the relationship among people, plants, and identity as it explores how a society comes to define itself through the production, consumption, and reverence of rice. It is a narrative profoundly tied to a particular place, but it is also a story of encounters with outsiders who often mediate or meddle in the rice enterprise. Although the focal point is a remote area of West Africa, the book illuminates the more universal nexus of identity, environment, and development, especially in an era when many people--rural and urban--are confronting environmental changes that challenge their livelihoods and lifestyles.

This book serves the purpose of documenting and promoting African experiences on sustainable development, which encompasses both, formal and non-formal education. Sustainable development is very important to Africa, but there is a paucity of publication which documents and promotes experiences from African countries. Due to their complexity, the interrelations between social, economic and political factors related to sustainable development, especially at universities, need to be better understood. There is also a real need to showcase successful examples of how African institutions are handling their sustainability challenges. It is against this background that this book has been produced. It is a truly interdisciplinary publication, useful to scholars, social movements, practitioners and members of governmental agencies and private companies, undertaking research and/or executing projects focusing on sustainability from across Africa. As African nations strive to pursue the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it is imperative to cater for the information needs seen across the continent and foster the dissemination of experiences and case studies, which may support both, on-going and future efforts. The scope of the book is deliberately kept wide, and we are looking for contributions across the spectrum of sustainable development from business and economics, to arts and fashion, administration, environment, languages and media studies.

The first comprehensive work on globalization within the context of sustainable development initiatives in Africa.

The book draws upon the expertise and international research collaborations forged by the Worldwide Universities Network Global Africa Group to critically engage with the intersection, in theory and practice, of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s development agendas and needs. Further, it argues that – and demonstrates how – the SDGs should be understood as an aspirational blueprint for development with multiple meanings that are situated in dynamic and contested terrains. As the SDGs have substantial implications for development policy and resourcing at both the macro and micro levels, their relevance is not only context-specific but should also be assessed in terms of the aspirations and needs of ordinary citizens across the continent. Drawing on analyses and evidence from both the natural and social sciences, the book demonstrates that progress towards the SDGs must meet demands for improving human well-being under diverse and challenging socio-economic, political and environmental conditions. Examples include those from the mining industry, public health, employment and the media. In closing, it highlights how international collaboration in the form of research networks can enhance the production of critical knowledge on and engagement with the SDGs in Africa.

The book is a collection of analyses on country-specific and universal efforts, programmes and projects from Africa and beyond, aimed at realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, the chapters focus on the achievements and challenges that can potentially aid countries of the world and the United Nations in achieving the 17 SDGs. The chapters focus more on the challenges, prospects and concrete steps taken in the Global South towards the attainment of these goals.