Class, Dependency, and Resistance: Toward a Pluralist Framework for African International Relations

The resurgence of interest in IR theories such as Marxism and Dependency Theory illuminates the complexities facing African states in the context of postcolonial challenges and systemic global inequalities. China’s burgeoning influence in Africa often replicates exploitative patterns reminiscent of Western models, further entrenching conditions of resource extraction and elite capture. This paper proposes a conceptual framework grounded in Historical Specificity, Political Economy, and Agency and Praxis, offering a nuanced perspective on Africa’s role in international relations. Historical Specificity contextualizes Africa’s unique experiences, while Political Economy unveils the internal and external structures sustaining its marginalization. Agency and Praxis foregrounds the capacity of African actors to resist and reshape their global engagements, exemplified by initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The framework is used to analyze three key journal articles on Marxism and Dependency giving room to suggest pathways for pluralistic emancipation of Africa. Emphasizing the necessity for a reorientation of African International Relations away from Eurocentric paradigms, this analysis showcases the need for theoretical frameworks that reflect historical realities and class dynamics specific to the African continent. By challenging existing universal assumptions in International Relations, this study culminates in a plural and emancipatory framework that recognizes potentials of Africa as a dynamic contributor to global discourse rather than a passive recipient, transforming scholarship and practice in African engagement with the international system.