Book launch - Youthquake: Why African Demography Matters

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By 2050, Africa will account for a quarter of the global population; in 1950 the figure was less than 10%. The populations of more than half of the continent's 54 countries are set to double in the next 30 years. Nine will see their populations multiply by a factor of more than 15 times between 1950 and 2050. Such growth is unprecedented in the modern era. Africa will be the prime determinant of whether the world's headcount will peak in the second half of the 21st century or continue growing, a vexed and contested issue with added significance in the age of climate crisis. 

Edward Paice, (author of Youthquake - Why African Demography Should Matter To The World) will discuss the heterogeneity of African demography, dispel some common myths about trends and drivers of fertility, and consider the ramifications for decent employment and development. He will argue that greater familiarity with Africa's demographic 'map' can yield important insights for many other fields of study; and that sheer weight of numbers will impact geopolitics, global trade, technological development, the future of the world's dominant religions, patterns of migration - almost any aspect of life that we care to imagine.   

Speaker bios

Edward Paice is Director of Africa Research Institute and a former Visiting Fellow at Magdalene College, Cambridge. He is the author of several books on African topics, including ''Tip & Run' - The Untold Tragedy of the Great War in Africa'

Dr Rachel Masika is a global development consultant for governments and multi-lateral agencies with over twenty years research and lecturing experience in several UK universities.  She has published on a wide range of global development themes including urbanisation, climate change, poverty and inequalities.

Dr Emmanuel Osuteye is an urbanisation and sustainable development researcher based at The DPU, University College London. His research interests focus on studying the governance, policy and institutional aspects of risk and disaster management, climate adaptation and urban resilience in low-income urban centres.