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The African middle class(es) – in the middle of what?

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  • Henning Melber

Abstract

This Briefing/Debate article critically engages with the middle class phenomenon, which emerged as a prominent focus in Development Studies a decade ago and has more recently also become the subject of more informed African Studies, adding necessary and more nuanced analysis.1 It critically examines the background and assumptions of the debate, pointing out the lack of class analysis, and suggests that the current focus still partly distracts from the underlying issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Henning Melber, 2017. "The African middle class(es) – in the middle of what?," Review of African Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(151), pages 142-154, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:revape:v:44:y:2017:i:151:p:142-154
    DOI: 10.1080/03056244.2016.1245183
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    1. Mr. Marcelo Martinez & Mr. Montfort Mlachila, 2013. "The Quality of the Recent High-Growth Episode in Sub-Saharan Africa," IMF Working Papers 2013/053, International Monetary Fund.
    2. Handley, Antoinette, 2014. "Varieties of capitalists? The middle class, private sector and economic outcomes in Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series 101, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Furness, Mark & Scholz, Imme & Guarin, Alejandro, 2012. "Das Wachstum der neuen Mittelschichten in Entwicklungsländern: wiederholt sich die Geschichte des Westens?," Analysen und Stellungnahmen 16/2012, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS).
    4. Rakesh Kochhar, 2015. "A Global Middle Class Is More Promise than Reality," LIS Working papers 641, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    5. Antoinette Handley, 2014. "Varieties of Capitalists?: The Middle Class, Private Sector and Economic Outcomes in Africa," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2014-101, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Nancy Birdsall, 2010. "The (Indispensable) Middle Class in Developing Countries; or, The Rich and the Rest, Not the Poor and the Rest," Working Papers 207, Center for Global Development.
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