Epilogue: African Futures and the Way Forward

The contributions to this edited volume illustrate the wide range of perspectives on the topic of ‘African futures in the making’. In the current global context, it is evident that this topic is more relevant than ever. The future is highly uncertain not only in Africa, but everywhere. At the same time, the case studies from Africa demonstrate the various ways in which different groups seek to address the challenges that lie ahead. Democracy is all about making just and participative decisions about a multitude of possible future options. When democracies become endangered, one central issue that is often apparent is that one imaginary of the future claims precedence over other imaginaries. Because future-making is so central to our political systems it is of the utmost importance to attend to and comment upon such processes critically.