The Emerging Middle Class in Africa

The Emergence Of The African Middle Class As A Driver Of Africa's Economic Growth Stands Out As An Important Milestone In Africa's Contemporary Economic History. This Growth, Though Uneven, Is A Source Of Hope For Africa, But Also A Signal To The Rest Of The World On The Prospects For Economic Recovery And Renewal, Particularly Because It Has Been Steady Despite The Global Downturn. The Emerging Middle Class In Africa Analyses Specific Aspects Of The Lives Of The Middle Class In Africa. It Looks At How People Become And Remain In The Middle Class Through A Series Of Thematic Chapters. It Examines How Behaviour Changes In The Process, In Terms Of Consumption Patterns And Spending On Health And Education. A Further Dimension Of This Analysis Is How Class Impacts On Gender Relations And Whether Women Are Able To Reap The Same Benefits Of Social Advancement Available To Men. Africa Is A Continent Of Such Scale And Diversity That Experiences Across Countries Vary Widely. The Book Thus Captures The Common Patterns Across The Continent. This Text Is Primarily Aimed At Africanist Researchers, Policy Makers, Development Practitioners, And Bilateral And Multilateral Institutions, As Well As Students Of African Studies, Political Science, Political Economy, Development Studies, And Development Economics. Introduction / Mthuli Ncube -- Dynamics Of The Middle Class In Africa / Charles Leyeka Lufumpa, Maurice Mubila And Mohamed Safouane Ben Aïssa -- The Political Economy Of The African Middle Class / Michael Lofchie -- Consumption Patterns / Oliver J.m Chinganya, Mary Strode, Lee Crawfurd, Marta Moratti And Felix Schmieding -- Jobs And The Labor Market / Mary Strode, Lew Crawfurd, Simon Dettling And Felix Schmieding -- Entrepreneurship / Mohamed Ayadi And Mohamed Safouane Ben Aïssa -- Education / Benedict Kunene, Maurice Mubila And Oluyele A. Akinkugbe -- Gender / Abena Oduro And Alice Nabalamba -- Health / Alice Nabalamba And Helen Johansen -- Conclusion / Mthuli Ncube. Edited By Mthuli Ncube And Charles Leyeka Lufumpa. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.