Social cohesion, conflict management and economic growth in Africa

bibliographic database
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Book chapter

Title:	Social cohesion, conflict management and economic growth in Africa
Author:	Elbadawi, Ibrahim A.
Book title:	Globalization, democracy and development in Africa: challenges and prospects
Year:	2001
Pages:	39-60
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Africa
Subjects:	social conflicts population composition ethnic groups economic development
Abstract:	While overall economic growth is essential for sustainable reduction in poverty, stability of growth has important consequences for economic and social welfare, in a world of incomplete insurance market and inadequate levels of intertemporal trade. Africa is characterized by high ethnic fractionalization (the main indicator for lack of social cohesion), low and sparse population density and weak political institutions for resolving potential social conflicts. However, ethnic diversity is only harmful to economic growth in the context of autocracy and when dense interethnic group interaction is not possible due to geographic fractionalization. This suggests that building a functioning democracy and wider and denser geographic and social networks will increase Africa's chances of achieving sustained economic growth in the impending era of globalization. Bibliogr., notes, ref. [ASC Leiden abstract]