Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat / Edition 2

by Larry Diamond, Marc F. Plattner

Overview

At a time when democracy seems to be in retreat in many parts of the world, Africa presents a more mixed picture. A number of African countries have been convulsed by high-profile crises, while others have quietly continued making progress on the difficult path toward democratic stability.

Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat brings into focus the complex landscape of African politics by pairing broad analytical surveys with country-specific case studies—most previously published in the Journal of Democracy and all written by prominent Africanists with deep knowledge of the continent and their subject countries.

Thematic chapters address some of the major forces working for and against African democracy: the phenomenon of “frontier Africa”; presidentialism; the rise of independent legislatures; the rule of law versus the “big man”; the institutionalization of political power; the decline of military coups; the paradox of growth without prosperity; and the roles of formal and informal institutions. Countries examined include Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat is an essential primer for students of African politics and those interested in the future of democracy around the world.

Contributors: Kate Baldwin, Joel D. Barkan, Michael Bratton, Michael Chege, John F. Clark, Larry Diamond, Steven Friedman, Kenneth Good, E. Gyimah-Boadi, Barak Hoffman, Richard Joseph, Seth Kaplan, Maina Kiai, Peter Lewis, Eldred Masunungure, Penda Mbow, Andrew M. Mwenda, Dave Peterson, Daniel N. Posner, H. Kwasi Prempeh, Lindsay Robinson, Paula Cristina Roque, Rotimi T. Suberu, Herbert F. Weiss, Christopher Wyrod, Daniel J. Young

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801894848
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	03/29/2010
Series:	A Journal of Democracy Book
Edition description:	second edition
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Larry Diamond is coeditor of the Journal of Democracy, codirector of the International Forum for Democratic Studies, and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution.

Marc F. Plattner is vice president for research and studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. Plattner and Diamond are coeditors of the Journal of Democracy.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction Larry Diamond ix

I Progress and Retreat in Africa

1 Challenges of a "Frontier" Region Richard Joseph 3

2 Presidents Untamed H. Kwasi Prempeh 18

3 Legislatures on the Rise? Joel D. Barkan 33

4 The Rule of Law versus the Big Man Larry Diamond 47

5 The Institutionalization of Political Power in Africa Daniel N. Posner Daniel J. Young 59

6 The Decline of the African Military Coup John F. Clark 73

7 Growth Without Prosperity in Africa Peter Lewis 88

8 Formal versus Informal Institutions in Africa Michael Bratton 103

II West Africa

9 Nigeria's Muddled Elections Rotimi T. Suberu 121

10 Another Step Forward for Ghana E. Gyimah-Boadi 137

11 Senegal: The Return of Personalism Penda Mbow 152

12 Sierra Leone: A Vote for Better Governance Christopher Wyrod 166

13 Liberia Starts Over Dave Peterson 179

III East Africa

14 Kenya: Back from the Brink? Michael Chege 197

15 The Crisis in Kenya Maina Kiai 212

16 Tanzania's Missing Opposition Barak Hoffman Lindsay Robinson 219

17 Personalizing Power in Uganda Andrew M. Mwenda 233

18 The Remarkable Story of Somaliland Seth Kaplan 248

IV Southern and Central Africa

19 An Accidental Advance? South Africa's 2009 Elections Steven Friedman 265

20 The Illusion of Democracy in Botswana Kenneth Good 280

21 Zambia: One Party in Perpetuity? Kate Baldwin 295

22 Voting for Change in the DRC Herbert F. Weiss 310

23 Angola's Façade Democracy Paula Cristina Roque 324

24 Zimbabwe's Long Agony Michael Bratton Eldred Masunungure 338

Index 353

Editorial Reviews

The collection is representative of African politics and will serve the needs of faculty, especially for undergraduate courses.

Choice

[An] excellent collection.

International Journal of African Historical Studies - Susanne D. Mueller

Rich accounts of democracy's progress and retreat in Africa.

African Studies Review - Inge Amundsen

Given its broad sweep of anglophone Africa, highly readable style, balanced perspectives, and penetrating analysis, this volume represents an important contribution to the field and a valuable resource for students wishing to comprehend the seemingly contradictory outcomes associated with African democratisation.

Journal of Modern African Studies - Ian Cooper

[An] excellent collection.

— Susanne D. Mueller

International Journal of African Historical Studies

The collection is representative of African politics and will serve the needs of faculty, especially for undergraduate courses.
—Choice

Given its broad sweep of anglophone Africa, highly readable style, balanced perspectives, and penetrating analysis, this volume represents an important contribution to the field and a valuable resource for students wishing to comprehend the seemingly contradictory outcomes associated with African democratisation.
—Ian Cooper, Journal of Modern African Studies

Rich accounts of democracy's progress and retreat in Africa.
—Inge Amundsen, African Studies Review

[An] excellent collection.
—Susanne D. Mueller, International Journal of African Historical Studies

From the Publisher