International Cooperation

In recent months, some writers such as James Cuno have been throwing about the accusation of nationalism as if it were such a bad phenomenon for culture or, indeed, as if it were incompatible with culture or somehow bad for cultural development. A comment by Kwame Opoku. [Full Text Article, pdf]

For far too long the debate on development aid has been constrained by conceptual traps and the limitations of the definitions provided by the donors. If the recipients or beneficiaries of aid are to own the process, as present trends in the development literature sug- gest, then the conceptual reframing of the issues must itself change its location from the North to the South. [Pambazuka]

People often say when Africans argue for an integrated national African economy, they are self-indulgent entertaining nothing but a futile illusion. They claim that to argue that Africa must unite economically, ‘knowledge-ically’, politically, and ’society-ically’ is to day-dream and to give in to fantasy. [Pambazuka]

Biofuel production is certainly one of the culprits in the current global food crisis. But while the diversion of corn from food to biofuel feedstock has been a factor in food prices shooting up, the more primordial problem has been the conversion of economies that are largely food-self-sufficient into chronic food importers. [Pambazuka]

Many Europeans would agree that African art inspired Picasso, Juan Gris, Arman, Braque, Matisse, Kandinsky, Kirchner, Modigliani, Paul Klee, Moore and Giacometti and others but they do not realize or take into account that some of these masterpieces now held in Europe could also inspire young African artists who now have no chance of seeing the masterpieces of their culture. By Kwame Opoku. [Full Text Article]

Kwame Opoku comments on the “Songs of Praise” for the British Museum. We have witnessed within the last few days a spate of articles, all praising in fulsome language the British Museum and its director, Neil MacGregor. It can be assumed that the publication of these article within such a short period is no sheer coincidence but part of a carefully orchestrated campaign to boost the popularity of the British Museum and the prestige of its director. But why now? (more…)

Kwame Opoku reviews Ben Macintyre’s article “Let’s all have tickets to the universal museum”, published in Timesonline, July 10, 2008. He concludes that it is one of those articles appearing regularly in Western media, appearing to espouse an internationalism and a universalism that, at first sight would appeal to many persons. However, on reflection, one realizes that, perhaps without consciously desiring to do so, they propagate a very narrow vision of the world and are generally oblivious of the needs and feelings of other peoples and cultures in the world. (more…)

Kwame Opoku comments on the article “How one cultural vision has lessons for the whole world” by Tristram Hunt, a Lecturer in History at University of London. The mentioned article was published in the Observer, July 6, 2008. (more…)

In Hokkaido, Japan, we have not only in Bush, Sarkozy, Brown, and Fukuda a group of discredited leaders with very low ratings at the polls in their own countries, writes Walden Bello. We have as well a G8 that is, more than ever, lacking in legitimacy. [Pambazuka]

Article by Paul Tiyambe Zeleza. Afropessimism embodies two tendencies—vilification of African experiences and valorization of Euroamerican engagements with Africa, that Africa is incapable by itself of historical progress and that any progress evident there is the result of Euroamerican interventions. [Full Text Article]

A proper analysis of the food crisis is a matter that cannot be left with trade negotiators, investment experts, or agricultural engineers, writes Yash Tandon. It is essentially a matter of political economy. A crisis for some is an opportunity for others. Any analysis of the present food crisis carries with it its own prescription, and these prescriptions have the potential to bring benefits for some and losses for others. [Pambazuka]

Kwame Opoku critically looks at James Cuno’s recent statements regarding “credible museums” and “non-credible museums” and asks what precisely Cuno means by these terms remembering that recent events have shown that major and prestigious museums in the USA cannot be trusted to have acquired their antiquities in an entirely legal mode. (more…)

In even the most exploitative African sites of repression, sometimes corporations take a hit, and victims sometimes unite on continental lines instead of being divided-and-conquered. Turns in the class struggle might have surprised Walter Rodney, whose 1972 classic “How Europe Underdeveloped Africa” provided detailed critiques of corporate looting. Patrick Bond and Richard Kamidza on resistance to the excesses of Western capitalism. [Pambazuka]

In order to deny States the right to control excavations on their land and to prevent them from claiming ownership of artefacts found in their countries, James Cuno, Director of the Art Institute of Chicago, in his new book goes so far as to deny any continuity between the peoples of present States and those of ancient civilizations. [Full Text Article, pdf]

The Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness will be held this September in Accra. But is aid effectiveness a mirage? Yash Tandon reaches the conclusion that “the aid effectiveness project is a form of collective colonialism by Northern donors of those Southern countries that, through weakness, vulnerability or psychological dependency, allow themselves to be subjected to it at the Accra conference in September.” [Pambazuka]

A cover story on John McCain and the International Republican Institute. While keeping an eye on Bush’s War on terror and Africom, we should not forget the International Republican Institute, which had a hand in the Venezuela coup and the toppling of Aristide. The IRI operates in about 40 African countries. By Mukoma wa Ngugi. [The Progressive Magazine]

Si l’Afrique est incapable d’assurer sa souveraineté alimentaire, ce n’est point qu’elle manque de ressources pour relever ce défi. Les terres agricoles sont encore peu exploitées, l’eau est disponible à profusion et les bras valides pour remuer les sols sont là. La dépendance alimentaire dans laquelle se trouve le continent est tout simplement due aux chaînes des politiques néolibérales qui l’entravent. [Pambazuka]

Ian Angus looks at the various forces behind the food crisis in Haiti. During previous waves of food price inflation the poor often had at least some access to food they grew themselves, or to food that was grown locally and available at locally set prices. Today, in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, that is just not possible. Global markets now determine local prices, and often the only food available must be imported from far away. [Pambazuka]

In the case of request for restitution of stolen objects in the British Museum, the question of legal ownership - a question which is fundamental to all claims of property - is not even posed. The main question here is whether the British Museum can afford to dispense with the object in question i.e. whether it can and will de-accession the object. By Kwame Opoku. [Full Text Article, pdf]

The exhibition, Benin: Kings and Rituals Court Arts from Nigeria, which has generated debates about restitution of stolen art goes to the Art Institute of Chicago. It is to be noted that the exhibition will not be seen in Nigeria. Kwame Opoku reflects on what kind of institution the Art Institute of Chicago is? [Full Text Article, pdf]