Call for papers:

Is the Data Revolution in Africa a Myth or Reality?
Challenges posed in the production and use of African statistics

In 2013, Shanta Devarajan, The World Bank's chief economist for Africa, published an article about the state of African data with the arresting title "Africa's Statistical Tragedy" (Devarajan, 2013). This essay paints an alarming portrait of the data situation in Africa. In addition to analyzing the "tragedy", Devarajan examined the reasons for it, found that they were primarily political, and proposed ways to remedy the situation. This edition aims to highlight the issues fueling heated debates about African public statistics, particularly data reliability, instrumentalization and dispersal. The legitimacy and intentions of detractors of African public statistics will also be examined, as will data production privatization. 

 

Call for papers for the revue: Afrique contemporaine

Editors

  • Florent Bédécarrats (AFD),
  • Jean-Pierre Cling (MAEDI)
  • François Roubaud (IRD/DIAL)

Arguments

This edition aims to highlight the issues fueling heated debates about African public statistics, particularly data reliability, instrumentalization and dispersal. The legitimacy and intentions of detractors of African public statistics will also be examined, as will data production privatization. We invite social, political and/or human sciences scholars to address central questions, such as: Will technical developments such as “Big Data” and new computer technologies change the terms of the debate? Can sociological readings (e.g. (Desrosières 2000 and 2014) clarify the issues? Can nationally and internationally determined quantification strategies and policies do so? How might a sociology of sciences lens elucidate current controversies?  The deadline to submit a one-page article proposal is 30 September 2015; selected papers will need to be completed by 2 January 2016.