The following 20 Africa specialists and development expert have contributed their comments on the IOB evaluation of the Dutch Africa policy. The full texts of their responses will be published on this website directly after the Dutch Ministry of Foreigh Affairs will have released the IOB evaluation of the Dutch Africa Policy (1998 - 2006).

• Ernest Aryeetey – Institute for Social, Statistical and Economic Research (ISSER), Accra, Ghana

• George Ayittey – American University, Washington, USA

• Joan Boer – Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Paris, France

• Nils Boesen – change consultant, Denmark

• Solveig Buhl – OECD, Paris, France

• Anders Danielson – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sweden

• Han van Dijk – Wageningen University/African Studies Centre, the Netherlands

• Stephen Ellis – African Studies Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands

• Leo de Haan – African Studies Centre, Leiden, the Netherlands

• Paul Hoebink – Centre for International Development Issues Nijmegen (CIDIN), Radboud University Nijmegen, the Netherlands

• Wil Hout – Institute of Social Studies (ISS), The Hague, the Netherlands

• Simon Maxwell – Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, UK

• Nadia Molenaers – University of Antwerp, Belgium

• Oliver Morrissey – University of Nottingham, UK

• Steven Ndegwa – World Bank, Washington, USA

• Francis Nyamnjoh – Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA), Dakar, Senegal

• Brian Pratt – International NGO Training and Research Centre (INTRAC), Oxford, UK

• Joseph Semboja – Research on Poverty Alleviation (REPOA), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

• David Sogge – independent consultant, Amsterdam

• Marian Tupy – Cato Institute, Washington, USA

• Doris Voorbraak – World Bank, Washington, USA

Jean-Luc Dubois welcomes Koonings’ pragmatic reintroduction of the political dimension to questions of development. Adding politics implies that key issues of inequity, social exclusion and…

How do the urban poor make ends meet? They sell home-made snacks, repair cars in their back yard, and wash and mend clothes while babysitting. A recent study by Hebe Verrest in the Caribbean cities of Paramaribo (Suriname) and Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) shows the importance of these so-called ‘home-based economic activities’ (HBEAs). They bring in indispensable money for 40% of households in the neighbourhoods studied. Most of these home-based entrepreneurs are women.

Broker readers interested in cross-disciplinary research at the edge of science and technology and social sciences may want to browse these two websites: www.4sonline.org and www.historyoftechnology.org. Both look at science and technology in their historical contexts: how does – and did – technology interact with society, culture and political, economic, social, and psychological developments.