NEPAD and Castells : an interpretation of the NEPAD development framework in terms of the Network Society Theory

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This thesis is an interpretation of the New Partnership for Africa's Developmentparadigm as explained in the policy document released in October 2001, in terms ofManuel CasteIls ' theory of the Network Society. This research is simply structuredinto three sections: an explanation and criticisms of NEPAD, an explanation ofCasteIls ' theory, and a synopsis of correlations between the two.The NEPAD is a development paradigm aimed at the socio-economic development ofthe African continent. It is envisioned to be a partnership between the developedworld and African leadership to lift the continent from the depths of poverty,corruption and exclusion, in which it now finds itself The document was createdthrough a merger of the Omega Plan, the Millennium Action Plan and the ECACompact. The main proponents of the initiative are Presidents Mbeki, Obasanjo andBouteflika. Although NEPAD has been well received internationally, it has comeunder severe criticism from African civil society. Concern has been raised thatNEPAD will serve to further consolidate the neo-patrimonial state and existing elitenetworks through providing the requested funding; in this context the argument forincreased foreign direct investment is especially questioned. The authors of thedocument are especially criticised for excluding civil society from the draftingprocess. Due to this lack of consultation, it is argued that NEPAD does not reflect thetrue will of the African people. The neo-liberal undertones of the document, therecognition of the process of globalisation, and Africa's resulting marginalisation aswell as the threat this poses for global security are further points of critique that areexplored in this thesis.Manuel CasteIls provides an explanation of the new global economy in his theory ofthe Network Society. He argues that the dominant system today, is a result of theadvances in information and communications technology (ICT) as well as thecapitalist pursuit of profit. The new global economy is therefore not only the newdominant international economic system, but also the new historical reality. Againstthis backdrop, he proposes a Technological Marshall Plan which essentially is a callfor massive technological investment into Africa to assist the continent to leap-frogthe industrial age and connect with the new global economy.There are several points of correlation between NEPAD and Castells. EssentiallyNEPAD takes the worldview explained by Caste/Is as its point of departure. NEPADthen builds a development strategy in full coherence with the logic of the theory of theNetwork Society. NEPAD concurs with CasteIls on the role played by ICT in theprocess of globalisation. The disarticulation of space and time has led to aninstantaneous, global expression of social and economic life, specifically in financialmarkets and the production process. The result is the inclusion of valuable people andassets into the global network, while the devalued are excluded. Both NEPAD andCasteIls argue that the current state of affairs is both morally wrong andeconomically and politically unstable. It is therefore, as both ague, in the interests ofthe developed world to engage in this new partnership. This thesis exposesfundamental correlations between the theory of the Network Society and the NewPartnership for Africa's Development.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University