How have Africa's large cities provided economic livelihood and shelter to growing populations amidst the continent's protracted economic crisis of the last three decades? African urban areas have not received as much attention as rural studies, yet the continent is steadily urbanizing with profound implications for national economic development and welfare. This book provides fresh insight into the dynamics of African urban economic growth and associated social and political change. Based on recent city case studies and longitudinal data collection, this book outlines economic trends and key urban theories in an accessible style.

Most studies of famine and the African food crisis stress how the socio-economic context influences the occurrence of food shortages. By contrast, this book argues that food insecurity itself influences the social and economic organization of the society. Through this approach, the author provides a new interpretation of the causes and consequences of Tanzania's present economic crisis. The book examines the effects of changing food availability on the functioning of the state, the market and clientage networks, over the past seven decades. The conclusion is that clientage is no less important than the state and market as an organizational force in Tanzanian society, and, under heightened food insecurity, the state and market lose ground to clientage.