He will address the nature of the resulting growth in Africa, looking at who the major beneficiaries and losers are likely to be and what political structures will be reinforced or undermined.

The lecture is part of this year’s Colston Research Society Symposium, a two-day meeting at the University which will bring together a range of experts working at the forefront of many areas of international development and globalisation.

The lecture is sponsored by the Colston Research Society and organised by the Public and Ceremonial Events Office in association with the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies (SPAIS).

• The lecture takes place on Monday, 5 December, in the Reception Room, Wills Memorial Building, at 6 pm.  Admission is free and no booking is required.

Professor Kaplinsky’s research focuses on globalisation, innovation, industrialisation and technology – fields in which he’s published extensively.

He has also advised governments, UN organisations and firms on a range of development-related issues. In the late 1990s, Professor Kaplinsky played a leading role in developing a global network of researchers focusing on global value chains. Since 2005 he has made a similar contribution to the development of a global network of researchers, focusing on the impact of China and India on developing countries.

His most recent book, published in November, is entitled How China Disrupted Global Commodities: The Reshaping of the World’s Resource Sector. This will be followed next year by a volume called Making the Most of Commodities, which focuses on the impact of China’s thirst for commodities on industrial development in sub-Saharan Africa.