Africa

Since the dawn of the last century, progressive African visionaries have proffered that to achieve economic well-being, African nations must forge a path to prosperity that is independent of Western prescription. Yet, are the continent’s challenges so distinct as to be completely unique from those of the rest of the world? In July 1900, the […]

The 2011 Tunisian revolution that ousted a dictator and security state rule, did not only change the country’s political system, but it impacted all aspects of Tunisian life, especially for women. The most recent national election, in October 2019, brought a new independent President to power. Met with celebration, Tunisians appeared eager to start a […]

Introduction As markets mature and become concentrated, entities merge and acquire others to achieve economies of scale. Such combinations are likely to create powerful companies which have the capacity to control the market and reduce competition. In his Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith captures what may become […]

Conversation with Jidenna: Music, Memory & The Black Atlantic This week the Harvard Africa Policy Journal and Harvard African Law Association hosted Jidenna at Harvard Law School. APJ Interview Editor Jacob Omorodion (JD ’20) sat down with Jidenna to discuss his latest album, the 85 to Africa Tour, the “Black Atlantic,” and transnational black identity.

Ameze Belo-Osagie: Today, we have the honor of sitting with His Excellency, President Nana Akufo-Addo on his birthday. Happy birthday, Mr. President!  My name is Ameze Belo-Osagie, and I’m an interview editor for the Africa Policy Journal at the Harvard Kennedy School. Memme Onwudiwe: My name is Memme Onwudiwe, and I’m senior interview editor for […]

I recently met with a young Kenyan thespian traveling throughout the U.S. in search of a career in the arts.  As we reminisced about his college days, he expressed some regret that his education did not include classes that would have adequately prepared him for a successful career in his chosen profession, despite having attended […]

  In early Fall 2017, the husband of Ghanaian entertainer Afia Schwarzenegger uploaded videos of what appeared to be Schwarzenegger engaging in an extramarital affair. Ghana’s digital publics swiftly demonized her. That September, several women used the hashtag #MenAreTheirOwnEnemies to expose the misogyny pervading media coverage of the Schwarzenegger affair. Regardless of the facts of […]

In Ghana, President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Integrated Aluminum Industry Plan (the “Plan”) has sparked a contentious debate about how to exploit bauxite – the primary ore used to make aluminum – in a manner that will not jeopardize the country’s sustainable development. The Plan calls for the construction of mines to triple bauxite output, facilities, such […]

An expansion of cashless transactions in Africa would be transformative! Imagine a world where a Burundian could trade easily with a Cape Verdean despite the countries having different currencies and belonging to different economic zones. But, with 1.2 billion people spread across 54 independent countries in one continent, is a cashless Africa achievable? The case […]

Thione Niang, Co-founder and Managing Partner of AKON Lighting Africa, sat down with our Partnerships Editor, Katherine Townsend for a conversation during his visit as a speaker at the 2019 MIT Africa Innovate Conference. In addition to his work with AKON Lighting Africa, Thione created the Give 1 Project, which promotes leadership and entrepreneurship through […]

Mistress to a married man: Not a bad idea!  Looking back, If anyone had told me that I would be impatiently watching every episode of Maîtresse d’un homme marié (Mistress to a Married Man) from my student apartment in Cambridge, Massachusetts, I would have never believed it. Squeezed between a paper to write, a meeting […]

Abstract The fall of European colonial empires during the second half of the twentieth century led to a new international order characterized by the democratization of international organizations. In return, the democratization of international organizations reinforced the legal duty of human rights protection within the international community. Our aim is to provide an overview of […]