i tried to post this earlier but had trouble. some people might be
interested still in this account of bayart's work
here are the opening words of the African Affairs' review of Bayart's
Politics of the Belly. pub. 1994 African Affairs: 93 (372), july1994.
"Every now and then, something comes along that changes the way in which
we think of our subject."
the review is really an astounding evaluation of its importance. i
recommend folks who are interested read it, read about longue durée,
and the rest of what bayart does, following braudel. and then tell me it
isn't really important scholarship.
there is no text that is above criticism. but there are criticisms that
we take seriously, and others we don't.
ken
On 6/11/16 5:21 PM, 'Abubakar Momoh' via USA Africa Dialogue Series wrote:
> Prof. Mbaku,
> I will explain. Your approach to corruption is too liberal, unilinear
> and descriptive, rather than critical, complex and Pluridisciplinary.
> Jean Francois Bayart is one of your recommended core texts for us on
> corruption and you gleefully cite him for us to read; but what does
> his book "Politics of the Belly" tell us about the reality in Africa?
> Nothing but pure fiction: so-called politics of "chopping". Is that
> what politics is all about in Africa? Even if taken from a statist
> point of view?
> You may have written tonnes of books on corruption in Africa, but
> let's be very modest about the claims we make: you are not the oracle
> on corruption in Africa and we have not heard the final pronouncement
> on the subject and above all, your reading list on the subject of
> corruption is not the most engaging and critical. I find it
> strange that you cite such unserious scholars as your core texts on
> corruption in Africa.
> Also, your way out of the corruption question is too legalistic and
> simplistic. And l find this unacceptable, as a student of the subject.
> Abu
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
--
kenneth w. harrow
professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
619 red cedar road
room C-614 wells hall
east lansing, mi 48824
ph. 517 803 8839
harrow@msu.edu
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