International Politics of Africa's Strategic Minerals

This important study examines the role of Africa's strategic mineral resources in global defense and in the international economic system. Beginning with an overview of the situation as a whole the author discusses the role of transnational corporations in the exploitation of Africa's mineral resources and explains the implications of the theories of Matthew Effect dependency core-periphery and imperialism. Among the issues Ogunbadejo considers are the political economy of strategic minerals; the political significance of American European and Soviet dependence on these minerals vis-a-vis their relations with the producer nations; and the impact of geopolitical considerations on U.S./South African relations.