Leveraging Transnational Diaspora Entrepreneurship for Investments, Trade, Regional Integration, and Local Economic Development in Africa: Insights from Theory and Practice

Leveraging Transnational Diaspora Entrepreneurship for Investments, Trade, Regional Integration, and Local Economic Development in Africa: Insights from Theory and Practice open_in_new

Aim of the edited book volume

Historical and contemporary evidences underline the contributions of Diaspora Entrepreneurs (DEs) to the welfare of their country of ancestry, through diverse entrepreneurial activities that foster local economic growth and development. Transnational Diaspora Entrepreneurship (TDE) can leverage international trade competitiveness, and deepen regional integration in Africa. A variety of lessons can be drawn from major Regional Economic Communities (RECs) such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC), Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD), Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), and Southern African Development Community (SADC). Those joint lessons from practice and the related theories are systematized and will be made public in this book.

Title of the edited book volume

Leveraging Transnational Diaspora Entrepreneurship for Investments, Trade, Regional Integration, and Local Economic Development in Africa: Insights from Theory and Practice

Main parts of the edited book volume

The volume is divided into five parts:

Part I: Theoretical and empirical explanations of the business and economic development impact of TDE This part will illuminate the theoretical and empirical explanations of the broad impacts of TDE on business and economic development.

Part II: TDE and development This part will identify the diverse factors which, are the main drivers of TDE, including cultural, (e.g., urge to achieve economic independence) economic (e.g., access to business finance) and social (e.g., social exclusion, or otherwise), etc.

Part III: TDE and local industrial transformation This part will query how Diaspora Entrepreneurs can and have harnessed knowledge and skills generated or acquired in various sciences (natural i.e., environmental and agricultural, engineering, architectural, medical or social.), to advance industrial transformation in their countries of ancestry (CoA).

Part IV: TDE, regional integration, and international trade This sub-theme will explore the impact which TDEs have on the trade performance of their CoA, as well as on their countries of residence (CoR). Also, it will explore how TDE impact regional integration agenda of the RECs to which their countries of origin belong.

Part V: Harnessing TDE for economic development in Africa: conclusions and way forward This part will digest of ideas and facts for harnessing TDE for economic development in Africa, and outline the elements of a strategy needed to achieve this goal.

Submission timelines

Submissions are invited but not limited to member institutions of the Trans Africa Universities Partnership (TANUP) for any of the sub-themes. They can be made to any of the editors of the proposed book. Chapters may cover more than one thematic area. More than one chapter from the one author is also invited.

Submission of (revised) abstract: 15 July, 2015

Submission of (revised) draft chapter: 31 August 2015

Submission of edited final chapter: 30 October 2015

Volume editors