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The Palgrave Handbook of African Politics, Governance and Development pp 103–121Cite as

Palgrave Macmillan

Theories of Social Change and Development in Africa

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Abstract

The history of contemporary Africa can be traced, though not exclusively, to the events that characterized the Berlin Conference of 1884 on the Scramble for and Partition of Africa among European nations. The event marked the formal recognition and legitimacy status of African nations travails under the thralldom of colonialism, the economic, social, cultural and political consequences of which still linger on in the kind of change and development in Africa today. The foregoing laid the foundation on which this chapter discussed theories of social change and development in Africa. In this respect the chapter delineates three major phases in the history of African people as well as the concomitant effects regarding social change and development. In line with the above conceptualizations, the chapter illuminates theoretical contours of social change from the traditions of the evolutionists, the functionalists, the modernization theorists, the conflict cum neo-Marxists as well as convergence and postmodernist perspectives.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Feigelman, W., 1980. Sociology Full Circle: Contemporary Readings on Society. New York: Holt Rinehart and Winston.

  2. 2.

    Jangam, R.T., 1993. Textbook of Political Sociology. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. PVT Ltd.

  3. 3.

    Olurode, L., 2006. “Modernization and the Dependency Approaches,” in Adebagbo, S.A., Obinyan, T.U. and Olurode, L. (eds.), Family and Social Change: Essays in Sociology and Social Welfare Administration. Lagos: Rebonik Publishers.

  4. 4.

    Agugua, Augustine, 2003. “Social Change in Nigeria Since Independence,” in Akinjide Osuntokun, David Aworawo and Florence Masajuwa (eds.), History and Cultures of Nigeria up to AD 2000. Somolu, Lagos: Frankad Publishers.

  5. 5.

    Friedenfels, R. 1998. Social Change: An Anthology. New York: General Hall, Inc.

  6. 6.

    Ibid.

  7. 7.

    Agugua, A., 2003. “Social Change in Nigeria Since Independence,” in Akinjide Osuntokun, David Aworawo and Florence Masajuwa (eds.), History and Cultures of Nigeria up to AD 2000. Somolu, Lagos: Frankad Publishers.

  8. 8.

    Ibid.

  9. 9.

    ECA, 2006. National Strategies for Poverty Reduction and Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals: An Issues Paper. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: ECA.

  10. 10.

    ECA, 2003. Summary, Conclusion of the Fifth Regional Consultations of UN Agencies Working in Africa, 16 to 17 May, 2003. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: ECA.

  11. 11.

    Rodney, W., 1972. How Europe Undeveloped Africa. Abuja: Panaf.

  12. 12.

    ECA, 2006. National Strategies for Poverty Reduction and Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals: An Issues Paper. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: ECA.

  13. 13.

    Ibid.

  14. 14.

    Ibid.

  15. 15.

    Chinweizu, 1975. The West and the Rest of Us: White Predators, Black Slavers and the African Elite. New York: Random House, 33.

  16. 16.

    Ibid., 33.

  17. 17.

    Giddens, A., 1990. The Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press.

  18. 18.

    Parsons, Talcott, 1977. Social Systems and the Evolution of Action Theory. New York: Free Press.

  19. 19.

    Turner, B., 1999. Classical Sociology. London: Sage.

  20. 20.

    Jangam, R.T., 1993. Textbook of Political Sociology. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. PVT Ltd., 222.

  21. 21.

    Giddens, A., 1990. The Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press.

  22. 22.

    Ibid.

  23. 23.

    Smelser, Neil J., 1976. Comparative Methods in the Social Changes. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

  24. 24.

    Ibid.

  25. 25.

    Strasser, Hermann and Susan C. Randall (eds.), 1981. An Introduction to Theories of Social Change. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

  26. 26.

    Jangam, R.T., 1993. Textbook of Political Sociology. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. PVT Ltd.

  27. 27.

    Giddens, A., 1990. The Consequences of Modernity. Cambridge: Polity Press.

  28. 28.

    Ibid.

  29. 29.

    Jangam, R.T., 1993. Textbook of Political Sociology. New Delhi: Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. PVT Ltd.

  30. 30.

    Smelser, Neil J., 1976. Comparative Methods in the Social Changes. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

  31. 31.

    Ibid.

  32. 32.

    Ibid.

  33. 33.

    Turner, B., 1999. Classical Sociology. London: Sage.

  34. 34.

    Smelser, Neil J., 1976. Comparative Methods in the Social Changes. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

  35. 35.

    Turner, B., 1999. Classical Sociology. London: Sage.

  36. 36.

    Smelser, Neil J., 1976. Comparative Methods in the Social Changes. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.

  37. 37.

    Ibid.

  38. 38.

    Turner, B., 1999. Classical Sociology. London: Sage.

  39. 39.

    Gosling, R. and Taylor, S., 2005. Principles of Sociology. London, UK: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

  40. 40.

    Ohmae, K. (ed.), 1995. The Evolving Global Economy: Making Sense of the New World Order. Boston, MA: Harvard University Press.

  41. 41.

    Scholte, J.A., 2002. Globalization: A Critical Introduction. London: Macmillan.

  42. 42.

    Rostow, W.W., 1960. The Stages of Economic Growth: A Non-Communist Manifesto. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  43. 43.

    Gosling, R. and Taylor, S., 2005. Principles of Sociology. London, UK: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

  44. 44.

    Olurode, L., 2006. “Modernization and the Dependency Approaches,” in Adebagbo, S.A., Obinyam, T.U. and Olurode, L. (eds.), Family and Social Change: Essays in Sociology and Social Welfare Administration. Lagos: Rebonik Publishers.

  45. 45.

    Wallerstein, Immanuel, 1974. The Modern World System. New York: Academic Press.

  46. 46.

    Scholte, J.A., 2002. Globalization: A Critical Introduction. London: Macmillan.

  47. 47.

    Elias, Norbert, 1987. Technik and Zivilisation. Paper presented at 23rd Bi-annual meeting of the German Sociological Association (Soziologentag), September 29–October 2, 1986 at Hamburg, West Germany.

  48. 48.

    Gosling, R. and Taylor, S., 2005. Principles of Sociology. London, UK: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

  49. 49.

    Ibid.

  50. 50.

    Kuhn, T., 1962. The Structure of Scientific Revolution. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

  51. 51.

    Gosling, R. and Taylor, S., 2005. Principles of Sociology. London, UK: London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sociology, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria

    Augustine Okechukwu Agugua

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  1. Augustine Okechukwu Agugua
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Samuel Ojo Oloruntoba

  2. Department of History, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA

    Toyin Falola

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Agugua, A.O. (2018). Theories of Social Change and Development in Africa. In: Oloruntoba, S., Falola, T. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of African Politics, Governance and Development. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-349-95232-8_6

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