Africa: An Absent Presence in Career Studies

It is widely acknowledged that the context in which an individual operates significantly influences their career development. Consequently, there has been an increase in scholarly interest in the influence of culture and national context on career enactment. Despite this recognition, career dynamics within the African context have received limited attention. This book aims to address this gap by providing a concise review of career literature and arguing that the institutionalist approach is better suited to studying career dynamics in Africa compared to the culturalist approach. The institutionalist approach is particularly relevant in the study of career dynamics within and across national contexts. It emphasises the role of formal and informal rules and regulations in shaping individual career outcomes. Therefore, it provides a more comprehensive understanding of how career dynamics operate in the African context. This book calls for greater attention to the institutionalist approach to studying career dynamics in Africa, which would contribute to the advancement of career research in this underrepresented empirical site. Overall, this book aims to stimulate further research on careers in the African context, which is a vital yet understudied area. We hope that our contribution will inspire future scholars to explore the nuances of career dynamics in Africa and advance our understanding of this important subject.