This panel examines foreign direct investment (FDI) and its social and economic effects across African countries. As Africa has increasingly been positioned as a pivotal driver of global economic growth, it presents both significant opportunities and complex challenges for international investors. Yet, compared with peer emerging economies, the continent struggles to attract manufacturing-oriented FDI (Mariotti & Meacci, 2026). This enduring shortfall has constrained continuous economic growth and deeper integration into the global economy.
Bringing together empirical case studies and structural analyses, the panel situates FDI within broader labor regimes, institutional environments, and economic structures. It critically assesses the sustainability of current investment patterns and evaluates the extent to which expected spillover effects—such as technology transfer, skills development, and local industrial upgrading—materialize in practice. In doing so, the panel contributes to ongoing debates on development, globalization, and the evolving role of FDI in shaping African societies.
We welcome historical, anthropological, sociological, and other interdisciplinary approaches, as well as case studies and comparative perspectives. Contributions that foreground African voices and are grounded in robust empirical research are particularly encouraged.
Please submit an abstract of 250 words and a brief 100-word bio to Yanyin Zi at yanyin.zi@rikkyo.ac.jp by March 1st, 2026.
