CONTENTS: Introduction / Carin Norberg -- China and Africa: Genuine Partnership or a Marriage of Convenience? / Fantu Cheru – TRADE -- New Focus on China-Africa Relations / He Wenping -- African Marriage Practices and the Global Financial Crisis / Knut Christian Myhre – CONFLICT -- A Journey of a Thousand Miles: Researching Conflict in the Niger Delta / Cyril Obi -- Diary of Dreams Deferred -- A Zimbabwean in Limbo / Amanda Hammar -- POLICY -- Africa and the Global Recession / Göran Holmqvist -- South Africa 2008: Quo Vadis, Whereto? / Anders Möllander -- Bridging the Gap between Policy and Research / Mathias Krüger -- Past Memories Informing Future Policies / Proscovia Svärd -- URBAN -- Walls of Shame: Evictions, Global Pressures and Local Agendas / Amin Kamete & Ilda Lindell -- The Index Finger of Justice: Democratization in Sierra Leone / Mats Utas – RURAL -- Forests Returned to Village Management in Northern Tanzania -- Natural Resources under New Rulers / Kjell Havnevik -- Adam Azzain Mohamed - Claude Ake Professor 2008 -- Research in the Midst of Controversy: “You Coming Here is Like a Spear to Me” / Lisbeth Larsson Lidén – GENDER -- Talking About Aids - the Problem of Openness / Elina Oinas -- CULTURE -- What’s Culture Got to Do with It? / Mai Palmberg -- Three Months Up North… / Tolu Ogunlesi -- COMMUNICATIONS AND LIBRARY -- Easy Come, Easy Go / Åsa Lund Moberg -- From Out of Print to In Print Forever / Birgitta Hellmark Lindgren -- Published by the institute -- STAFF AND ACTIVITIES