MASU presents: S. N. Sangmpam

Sub-Saharan Africa’s Exceptionalism: Why it has lagged behind North Africa, Asia, and South America Why has Sub-Saharan Africa--referred to as the “poorest continent”-- lagged behind other developing regions (North Africa, Asia, South America) in socioeconomic terms even though they all share a very similar type of state? Today there is no more important intellectual and policy challenge facing sub-Saharan Africa than this issue. Because the issue can be referred to as “sub-Saharan Africa’s exceptionalism,” any serious discussion about Africa needs to deal with it at three different levels: (1) how to approach it, which is a question of method; (2) why it exists; and (3) what is the solution. This talk aims at answering, if not all three questions given the time constraint, at least the first of the three. Dr. Sangmpam is a Professor of Political Science and African American Studies at Syracuse University. His specialties include theoretic comparative politics, empirically oriented social/political theory, Third World politics and political economy, African politics, international politics, and African American politics. One of his publications is titled “Social Theory and the Challenges of Africa’s Future.”