A Question of Agency: Africa in international politics

被引：78
作者：
Brown, William [1 ]
机构：
[1] Open Univ, Fac Social Sci, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, Bucks, England
来源：
THIRD WORLD QUARTERLY | 2012年 / 33卷 / 10期
关键词：
D O I：
10.1080/01436597.2012.728322
中图分类号：
F0 [经济学]; F1 [世界各国经济概况、经济史、经济地理]; C [社会科学总论];
学科分类号：
0201 ; 020105 ; 03 ; 0303 ;
摘要：
Over recent years African states have become increasingly prominent actors in high-level international politics. This article makes the case for studying Africa's international relations from the point of view of agency. The article outlines contemporary contexts within which questions of African agency have come to the fore and argues a need to think conceptually about agency in international politics in a way that accommodates the range of different agencies at work. The article outlines three elements as foundations for the analysis of African agency: first, a conceptualisation of different dimensions of agency; second, a recognition of the importance of sovereignty in differentiating between state, or state-enabled agents, and others; and third, a temporally embedded approach to agency that historicises contemporary agency. Combined, these elements suggest that future work on African agency would be able to engage seriously with the continent's role in international politics in a way that presents Africa as actor not just acted upon, historical agent not just history's recipient.
引用
收藏
页码：1889 / 1908
页数：20
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