Youthquake: Why African Demography Should Matter to the World

Description

A riveting study of Africa's demographics - its youth and growth - and what they mean for the continent, today and into the future. 'Essential reading' Guardian 'Intensely researched - and very important!' The Week 'The research in Youthquake is meticulous' Tim Marshall, Reaction 'Attempts to end the hysteria and ignorance surrounding demographic trends' New Statesman 'Meticulously researched, nuanced and brilliant' Mary Harper Africa's population growth in the last 50 years has been unprecedented. By mid-century, the continent will make up a quarter of the global population, compared to one-tenth in 1980. Africa's youth is the most striking aspect of its demography. As the rest of the world ages, almost 60 per cent of Africa's population is younger than 25 years old. This 'youthquake' will have immense consequences for the social, economic and political reality in Africa. Edward Paice presents a detailed, nuanced analysis of the varied demography of Africa. He rejects the fanciful over-optimism of some commentators and doom-laden prophecies of others, while scrutinising received wisdom, and carefully considering the ramifications of the youthquake for Africa and the world.

Edward Paice is Director of Africa Research Institute. He was a History Scholar at Cambridge University and winner of the Leman Prize. After working for several years as an investment analyst in the City, he moved to Africa to write travel and natural history guides in Kenya and newly independent Eritrea. He is the author of Lost Lion of Empire: The Life of 'Cape-to-Cairo' Grogan, nominated by The Week as 'Best Newcomer' in 2001; Tip & Run, an acclaimed account of the First World War in East Africa; and Wrath of God: The Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755. In 2003-4 Paice was awarded a Visiting Fellowship at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand Africa and its place in the world * Guardian * Paice's attempt to end the hysteria and ignorance surrounding demographic trends, and to remind us that how we respond to them is above all a political question, will increase understanding of the possibilities and challenges facing the world * New Statesman * The research in Youthquake is meticulous - there are more than 70 graphs and hundreds of facts -- Tim Marshall, Reaction An in-depth look at Africa's population data, while calling for a sense of humility in discussions around this topic * Irish Times * One of the great qualities of this fascinating book is even-handedness... Very sober, very fact-based, non-ideological - cool, calm and collected -- Mark Steyn, GB News The youth bulge heading Africa's way is real, and in the next 30 years it will throw up economic, social and political problems for African states the like of which the world has never before witnessed. This demographic surge is neither a catastrophe nor a boon, but it is a wicked problem: one for which there is no easy or satisfactory solution. In this utterly compelling and important book, Edward Paice disentangles the facts from the fictions, the truths from the falsehoods, and tells us why Africa's future will shape the futures of us all. This is a book none of us should ignore -- David M. Anderson, Professor of African History, University of Warwick This meticulously researched, nuanced and brilliant book takes apart simplistic, hysterical myths about Africa's population growth and what it means for the continent and the rest of the world. It presents a powerful case for Africa to be viewed as central, not peripheral, to the future, making up a quarter of the world's population by 2050 and providing about one-third of its working-age population -- Mary Harper, Africa Editor, BBC World Service News If there is one book to choose that dissects the demography of the countries of sub-Saharan Africa, then this is it. Edward Paice has achieved the feat of assembling the data and examining the trends by country to show the possibilities and challenges that come with fertility trends moving at different speeds. Required reading for those interested in Africa's development -- Kwame Owino, CEO, The Institute of Economic Affairs (Kenya) I greatly admired the author's command of Africa's demography and particularly appreciated his demolition of the demographic dividend -- John Cleland, former Professor of Medical Demography at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Fellow of the British Academy Paice's text is heavy on statistics, but the goulash of arithmetic is easy to digest, as well as spiced with plenty of numerical eye-poppers * Spectator * Intensely researched - and very important! * The Week * Paice's excellent book [...] convincingly makes the point that African demography is a matter of truly universal importance -- Adam Tooze, Director of the European Institute at Columbia University Paice's book is a monument of industry, a mine of information and invaluable reading for anyone who wants to understand the scale and implications of Africa's demographic growth -- Nick Westcott, African Affairs