The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), characterized by the growing utilization of new technologies, unquestionably is ushering in innovative solutions to myriad development challenges. At the same time, as the authors of Human Rights and the Fourth Industrial Revolution in South Africa demonstrate, these new technologies can also come with drawbacks, particularly in relation to fundamental human    More >

Among the world's most unstable regions, West Africa in the last decade has experienced a web of conflicts with profound and wide-ranging effects. West Africa's Security Challenges is the first comprehensive assessment of the resulting mix of setbacks and progress. The authors provide a context for understanding the region's security dilemmas, highlighting the link between failures of    More >

Tomaz Aquino de Bragança, a close adviser to former Mozambican president Samora Machel, dedicated his life to the liberation struggles of southern Africa. Before his death in a plane crash (along with President Machel) in 1986, he was a journalist, an academic, a diplomat, and a public intellectual known for his skill in sensitive and discreet political negotiation, most notably his role in    More >

The vitality and significance of parliaments in the Arab world is one of the essential—but overlooked—stories of political life in the 1990s. Baaklini, Denoeux, and Springborg present the first comprehensive, comparative analysis of modern Arab legislatures. Drawing on their extensive experience as both scholars and project consultants, the authors Yemen). Their work is of critical    More >

From the ongoing war in Angola, to sporadic instability in Zimbabwe and Lesotho, to the conflict in Congo, to issues of land reform and the ravages of AIDS, southern Africa faces varied and complex threats to its peace and security. The authors of From Cape to Congo assess the region's major security challenges, as well as the roles of local, regional, and external actors in managing them.    More >

A puzzle underpins this groundbreaking study of legislative development in Africa: Why are variations in the extent of legislative authority and performance across the continent only partially related, if at all, to the overall level of democratization? And if democratization is not the prime determinant of legislative authority, what is? Exploring the constraints that have retarded the    More >

Working together across religious, ethnic, and class divisions, African women are helping to formulate legislation and foster democracies more inclusive of womens' interests. Women in African Parliaments explores this phenomenon, examining the impact and experiences of African women as they seek increased representation in national legislatures. The authors' carefully constructed case    More >

The developments of the past seven years are reflected throughout this thoroughly revised edition of Politics in Southern Africa. Bauer and Taylor systematically examine politics and society in the region. After introducing the themes that guide their analysis, in each of eight country studies they trace the country’s historical origins and then analyze state institutions, political    More >

Capital cities today remain central to both nations and states. They host centers of political power, not only national, but in some cases regional and global as well, thus offering major avenues to success, wealth and privilege. For these reasons capitals simultaneously become centers of 'counter-power,' locations of high-stakes struggles between the government and the opposition. This    More >

Both the obstacles to governance and the opportunities for democratization confronted in East Africa—with its geostrategic importance, porous borders, governments heavily dependent on foreign aid, and some of Africa's longest running conflicts—provide valuable insights into how good governance policies can be implemented effectively throughout the developing world. East Africa and    More >

Questions of identity and ethnicity have always been part of the intricate web of politics in the Arab World, but the recent expansion of political participation has made these issues more political, more visible, and more acute. This book offers a comprehensive discussion of minorities and ethnic politics in eight Arab countries. Focusing on the strategic political choices made by minorities,    More >

Wedged between Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia, at the intersection of the world’s busiest shipping routes, Djibouti has long been a global geostrategic hub. Samson Bezabeh traces the tortuous political history of this tiny country since its independence from France in 1977. Bezabeh challenges much conventional wisdom as he dissects Djibouti's trials and tribulations. Focusing on the    More >

At the center of many of Africa's violent conflicts are movements that do not seem to fit any established theories of armed resistance. African Guerrillas offers new models for understanding these movements, eschewing one-dimensional explanations. The authors build on—and in some cases debate—insights provided in Christopher Clapham's groundbreaking work. They find a new    More >

Amid an array of shifting national, regional, and global forces, how have African insurgents managed to adapt and survive? And what differences and similarities can be found, both among the continent's diverse rebellions and guerrilla movements and between them and movements elsewhere in the world? Addressing these issues, the authors of Africa's Insurgents explore how new groups are    More >

Multilayered inequalities and a sense of insecurity have long been hallmarks of South African life—but now have been exacerbated by the uncertainties of Covid-19. Ethics, Politics, Inequality reflects on a range of political and socioeconomic interventions, based on an ethics of care, needed to help South Africans navigate the roiling currents of the "new normal." This latest    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book! Zimbabwe's July 2013 election brought the country's "inclusive" power-sharing interlude to an end and installed Mugabe and ZANU-PF for yet another—its seventh—term. Why? What explains the resilience of authoritarian rule in Zimbabwe? Tracing the country's elusive search for political stability across the decades, Michael    More >

How do individual Africans view competitive elections? How do they behave at election time? What are the implications of new forms of popular participation for citizenship and democracy? Drawing on a decade of research from the cross-national Afrobarometer project, the authors of this seminal collection explore the emerging role of mass politics in Africa's fledgling democracies.    More >

After decades of experimentation with various forms of dictatorship and autocracy, most sub-Saharan African countries adopted multiparty elections in the 1990s—a development widely celebrated as a sign that the region was moving toward democracy. This embrace of elections, however, has often been accompanied by unanticipated violence, raising important questions: Are violent elections a    More >

Are political parties an essential element of democracy? Or can a no-party system constitute a viable democratic alternative? Giovanni Carbone examines the politics of Museveni’s Uganda to illustrate the achievements, contradictions, and limitations of participatory politics in the absence of partisan organizations. At a time when multiparty reforms were sweeping the globe, Uganda opted    More >

Is globalization good for Africa? Pádraig Carmody explores the evolving nature and impact of globalization throughout the continent, as China, the US, and other economic powers exert their influence. Drawing especially on the cases of Chad, Sudan, and Zambia, Carmody considers whether the resource curse that has for so long plagued Africa can become a blessing. He also evaluates the    More >

Honorable mention for ISA's Religion and International Relations Section Book Award! The debate continues unabated: Is political Islam decipherable through the tenets of the Islamic tradition—or is it a tool of secular actors who shrewdly misuse religious references? Is it an expression of modernity, or a return to the past? Eschewing these dichotomies, Jocelyne Cesari demystifies the    More >

Recognized as the textbook on African politics, as well as an excellent resource for scholars, Politics and Society in Contemporary Africa analyzes the complexities and diversities of the African continent since independence. The authors provide a basic knowledge of political events; political structures, processes, problems, and trends; political economy; and international relations. Clearly    More >

Why did the democratic experiment launched in the Republic of Congo in 1991 fail so dramatically in 1997? Why has it not been seriously resumed since then? In tackling these complex questions, John Clark provides a thorough analysis of more than fifteen years of Congolese politics. Clark explores a series of logical hypotheses regarding why democracy failed to take root in Congo, moving from    More >

Although all African states suffer the same peripheral status in world politics, they display variation in their foreign policies. How can we account for this variation? What role, if any, do the political identities of ruling elites play? Can patterns be seen in personalist vs. one-party dominant vs. multiparty regimes? The authors of Political Identity and African Foreign Policies address these    More >

What impact have African actors had on perceptions of and responses to current international security challenges? Are there international peace and security norms with African roots? How can actors that lack the power and financial resources of Western states help to shape prevailing conceptions of appropriate behavior in international politics? Addressing these questions, the authors of    More >

What determines the outcome for rebels in contemporary African civil wars? How are "victory" and "defeat" measured?  Is there any connection between a rebel group's organization and its fate? What implications do the answers to these questions have for policymakers concerned with ongoing armed conflicts? Addressing these issues and more, Christopher Day explores the    More >

Since 1986, Nigeria has been struggling without success to return to a civilian, democratic form of government: as political parties, presidential candidates, economic reform programs, and top military officers have come and gone, the country has become mired in an authoritarian limbo, a transition without end. This wide-ranging study examines the rise and fall of democratic transition and    More >

In recent decades, laws passed by African governments to transfer power and resources to local and other subnational governments (SNGs) have been greeted by many in the policy community with enthusiasm. But how far has decentralization really gone in Africa? How well does it work? And what have been its consequences? The authors of Decentralization in Africa work within a common conceptual    More >

Is the dominance of one political party a problem in an emerging democracy, or simply an expression of the will of the people? Why has one-party dominance endured in some African democracies and not in others? What are the mechanisms behind the varying party-system trajectories? Considering these questions, the authors of this collaborative work use a rigorous comparative research design and rich    More >

The second edition of Inside African Politics, updated throughout to reflect political developments across the continent, not only provides thorough coverage of the full range of core topics, but also furthers an awareness and understanding of key theoretical issues and current debates. Drawing on their extensive teaching and fieldwork experience, Pierre Englebert and Kevin Dunn    More >

The African Union's threat to lead African states' mass withdrawal from the International Criminal Court in 2008 marked just one of many encounters that demonstrate African leaders' growing confidence and activism in international relations. Rita Kiki Edozie and Moses Khisa explore the myriad ways in which the continent's diplomatic engagement and influence in the global arena has    More >

Now Available in Paperback! Although it typically is taken for granted that African economies perform poorly, it is less well known that there are a small but significant number of success stories on the continent. What accounts for Africa's average stagnation, and for the wide regional variations in developmental fortunes? Englebert argues with compelling statistics and the liberal use of    More >

Winner of the 2010 African Politics Conference Group Best Book Award! Though the demise of one or another African state has been heralded for nearly five decades, the map of the continent remains virtually unchanged. By and large, these states have failed to protect and promote the interests of their citizens; yet they endure. Asking why, Pierre Englebert carefully articulates the manner    More >

The trend toward subnationalist autonomy—and away from the development of singular, state-centric political systems based on the Western model—is one of the most striking phenomena in Africa today. Joshua Forrest analyzes the expansion of ethnic subnationalist movements in the postcolonial period, the reasons behind their growth, and their implications for African politics. Forrest    More >

The fragmentation of the former Somali Democratic Republic into three distinctive entities, together with the events that have ensued since then, make for a complex political puzzle that raises a plethora of questions.  M.J. Fox explores some of the most fundamental of those questions: Have the "three Somalias" of today always been as disparate as they are now? How deeply rooted are    More >

In the midst of the atrocities reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the seemingly constant strife in the Horn of Africa, and the ongoing violence in Darfur, how do we make sense of the simultaneous increase in interstate security cooperation in Africa? To what extent, and why, does this cooperation differ from previous initiatives? In what direction is it heading? Benedikt Franke assesses    More >

How central are the media to the functioning of a democracy? Is democracy primarily about citizens using their votes? Does the expression of their voices necessarily empower citizens? These are among the questions addressed in Media and Citizenship. Challenging assumptions about the relationship between the media and democracy in highly unequal societies like postapartheid South Africa, the    More >

Was South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) a "miracle" that depended on the unique leadership of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu? Or does it provide a working model for other traumatized nations? Addressing these questions, Lyn Graybill explores the political origins, theological underpinnings, and major achievements of the world's most ambitious truth    More >

After years of reform efforts in Africa, much of the optimism over the continent's prospects has been replaced by widespread "Afropessimism." But to what extent is either view well founded? Democratic Reform in Africa plumbs the key issues in the contemporary African experience—including intrastate conflict, corruption, and the development of civil society—highlighting    More >

This seminal book examines the potential value of the concept of civil society for enhancing the current understanding of state-society relations in Africa. The authors review the meanings of civil society in political philosophy, as well as alternative theoretical approaches to employing the concept in African settings. Considering both the patterns of emerging civil society in Africa and issues    More >

Fatima Meer, a South African academic, public intellectual, and activist, was a tireless fighter for social justice and human rights—for which she variously suffered banning and detention by the apartheid government. After the end of apartheid, she declined a parliamentary seat, choosing instead to continue her advocacy work. She did, however, subsequently serve the ANC government in several    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book! What does it take for African countries to achieve political and economic successes? Scholarship on Africa tends to focus on the barriers to reaching desired outcomes. While recognizing that these barriers are very real, Erin Hern takes a contrary, unabashedly optimistic approach: rather than treating countries that perform well as "miracles," she    More >

J.N.C. Hill explores the multiple causes of two decades of profound political change, social and economic upheaval, and bitter conflict in postindependence Algeria. Hill focuses on the relationship between identity and sociopolitical stability as he examines the trajectory of Algerian nation building.  How did French colonization and the war of liberation transform Algerian identities? How    More >

The use and abuse of political power in Africa has been closely related to the role and function of the police. Alice Hills explores the impact of the cautious moves toward liberalization across the continent both on policing systems and on the relationship between those systems and national development. Hills engages contemporary debates on security sector reform, governance, law and justice,    More >

Sierra Leone's bitter experience with civil war garnered international attention only after the May 1997 coup, though the conflict between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and successive governments had raged for at least a decade— against the backdrop of more than three decades of progressive state collapse. John Hirsch traces Sierra Leone's downward spiral, drawing on his first-hand    More >

This original work examines three potential options for increasing state security in contemporary Africa: regional military groupings, private security companies, and a continent-wide, professional peacekeeping force. Howe explores these alternatives within the larger context of why African militaries have proven incapable of handling new types of insurgency; how the failed intervention in    More >

Although governance has been the focus of a considerable body of literature on democratic transitions and consolidation, data to support the claim that the concept is a useful one has been lacking. Now, however, Making Sense of Governance clearly shows the utility of research on governance, presenting empirical evidence from sixteen developing countries.   The authors focus on six arenas:    More >

The formal division in 2011 of Africa's largest state into two new states—Sudan (the Republic of the Sudan) and South Sudan (the Republic of South Sudan)—was the result of civil strife that had endured for generations. In the years leading up to this resolution, Sudan suffered from the failure of both regional and international actors to effectively come to terms with the scope of    More >

Responding to the changes that have swept across North Africa since the first edition of this book was published, Erik Jensen sheds new light on the enduring dispute over Western Sahara. Jensen reviews the history of the dispute, beginning with its colonial roots, and explains how and why attempts made by the OAU and, more persistently, the UN failed to achieve a formula for resolution    More >

This seminal volume explores the most important dimensions of state formation and erosion, social conflict, and the gains and setbacks in democratization in contemporary Africa. The results of nearly a decade of research, reflection, and collegial interaction, the collection delineates the dominant patterns of political restructuring since the upheavals of the early 1990s.      More >

This comprehensive treatment of the interplay between domestic and international politics analyzes efforts by African states to manage their external relations amid seismic shifts in the internal, regional, and global environments. The authors' nuanced analysis of foreign policy issues and themes traverses the continent, identifying patterns of change, examining constraints, and giving careful    More >

The site of genocide in Rwanda, recurrent cycles of communal massacre, deepening poverty, state fragmentation, and massive displacement of civilians, is Africa's Great Lakes region finally moving away from decades of decay and destruction, or is it fated to remain mired in interminable strife? The authors of Security Dynamics in Africa's Great Lakes Region explore the sources of conflict    More >

Though Africa historically has been the site of countless military coups d’état, civil-military relations across the continent have changed dramatically in recent years. What do these changes say about the military's ongoing role in Africa's political and social institutions? How useful are conventional models for understanding civil-military relations in the African    More >

Since the end of its genocidal civil war in 1994, Rwanda has embarked on an ambitious, and often controversial, process of reconstruction. Jean-Paul Kimonyo comprehensively analyzes that process in the political, military, socioeconomic, and cultural arenas. Kimonyo combines the objectivity of a scholar with the front-row perspective of a participant to provide an unparalleled analysis of the    More >

Why did Rwanda's rural Hutus participate so massively, and so personally, in the country's 1994 genocide of its Tutsi population? Given all that has been written already about this horrific episode, is there still more that can be learned? Answering these questions, Jean-Paul Kimonyo's social and economic history explores at the deepest level the role both of power relations among    More >

Belying assertions of the incompatibility of Islam and democracy, many Muslim-majority countries are now or have been democratic. Paul Kubicek draws on the experiences of those countries to explore the relationship between political manifestations of Islam and democratic politics. Kubicek's comparative analysis allows him to highlight the common features that create conditions amenable to    More >

Why do some African local governments perform well, while others fail to deliver even the most basic services to their constituents? Gina Lambright finds answers to this question in her investigation of the factors that contribute to good—and those that result in ineffective—institutional performance at the district level in Uganda. Examining the conditions under which local    More >

Tackling a fundamental question in the study of contemporary African politics, Borders, Nationalism, and the African State systematically and comparatively examines the impact of colonial borders on the intertwined trajectories of ethnic conflict and state development. The authors combine case studies (Congo, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan) with thematic chapters to provide a vivid story of    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book! The fourteen countries in west and equatorial Africa that formed the heart of what was once France's African colonial empire?all independent now for more than four decades?still retain French as an official language, remain attached to French culture, and maintain political links with France. Each country, however, has developed its own distinctive brand of    More >

Although large-scale conflicts, political upheavals, and social violence are common problems throughout Africa, individual countries vary greatly in both their susceptibility to these crises and their capacities for responding effectively. What accounts for this variance? How do crises emerge, and how are they resolved? When are unexpected events most likely to spiral into crisis? Are there    More >

What is the cumulative impact of the immense social, economic, and political changes that Africa has undergone in recent decades? What opportunities do those changes present to improve the lives of the continent's citizens? Countering the prevailing mood of pessimism in the face of disappointed expectations, the authors of Governing Africa's Changing Societies demonstrate the    More >

How did a group with its origins in a small Marxist-Leninist insurgency in northern Ethiopia transform itself into a party (the EPRDF) with eight million members and a hierarchy that links even the smallest Ethiopian village to the center? How do the legacies of protracted civil war and rebel victory over the brutal Derg regime continue to shape contemporary Ethiopian politics? And can the EPRDF,    More >

Spanning the Mbeki and Zuma administrations, this volume of South African Foreign Policy Review explores questions of continuity and change. Among the topics covered are the roles of the foreign minister, special advisers, think tanks, and other domestic sources that shape foreign policy, as well as international issues such as strategic partnerships, the ICC, international trade, development    More >

Long before the September 11 attacks galvanized Western attention on what has variously been called political Islam, Islamic fundamentalism, and Islamism, African nations with sizeable Muslim populations were experiencing significant transformations in the relationship between religion and state. Political Islam in West Africa explores those ongoing transformations in key countries of the Sahel    More >

Why write a new book about Steve Biko? Are there untapped lessons to be learned or principles to be gleaned from Biko’s work? As he answers these questions, Mabogo More presents an unparalleled critique of Biko's philosophy and social theory. Perhaps most important, he shows how Biko's ideas speak to the present human condition, especially the black condition, not only in South    More >

Both authoritative and accessible, African Development introduces the issues, actors, and institutions at play in development trajectories across sub-Saharan Africa. This new edition, thoroughly updated, includes an entirely new chapter devoted to key demographic trends in the region, especially rapid urbanization and the distinct "youth bulge." There is also a review of major    More >

Ngonidzashe Munemo challenges the conventional wisdom that African governments lack the technical capacity and political will to respond to drought and the threat of famine. Through a comparative analysis of three politically disparate countries—Botswana, Kenya, and Zimbabwe—Munemo demonstrates that differences in the ways that governments face similar drought-induced food crisis    More >

Tracing the trajectory of postcolonial politics, Makau Mutua maps the political forces that have shaped contemporary Kenya. He also critically explores efforts on the part of both civil society and the political opposition to reform the state. Analyzing the tortuous efforts since independence to create a sustainable, democratic state, he uses the struggle over constitutional reform as a window for    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book! Observers reacted with shock to the 2016 African National Congress electoral loss in Port Elizabeth, once an ANC stronghold. Yet, argues Mcebisi Ndletyana, that loss should not have come as a surprise—nor, perhaps, should the subsequent absence of reforms within the party. Ndletyana explores power and politics in Port Elizabeth since 1990, tracing the    More >

Why have some decentralization reforms led to viable systems of local governance in Africa, while others have failed? Exploring this question, the authors outline the key issues involved, provide historical context, and identify the factors that have encouraged or discouraged success.   Detailed studies of seven African states are grounded in a common analytical framework, one that    More >

Exploring the relationship between governance and development policy, the authors of this collection describe recent governance changes in a range of African countries, analyze the consequences of those changes for institutional reforms, and highlight the challenges involved in consolidating ongoing processes of economic liberalization and democratization.    More >

Close to the center of politics since the nineteenth century, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has grown to become the country’s main security agency. Akali Omeni traces the checkered record of the NPF, dissecting the intricacies of its evolution, structures, and missions—and showing how colonial- and military-era traditions continue to underpin its uneasy relationship with the general    More >

After the autocratic regimes in the seemingly unassailable police states of Tunisia and Egypt suddenly collapsed in 2011, the Islamic parties that took over quickly succumbed in turn to further massive uprisings, this time by disaffected secularists and, in the case of Egypt, with the support of the army. What explains this? And why do the current regimes in both countries remain so    More >

Situating her analysis squarely within the context of debates about the role of religion in African politics and society, Amy Patterson systematically analyzes the efforts (and sometimes lack of effort) of Christian churches in shaping HIV/AIDS policy. Patterson considers how theological worldviews, material resources, historical interactions with the state, and global networks influence church    More >

Why do some African states commit more effectively than others to the fight against AIDS? How do power inequalities and decisionmaking institutions shape Africa's ability to combat the disease? Within the context of debates about the nature of the African state, its relations with civil society, and its reliance on external donors, Amy Patterson presents a systematic study of African state    More >

Disappointment with the ability of democracy to deliver economic rewards in much of Africa—and with the persistence of instability, corruption, and poor governance in democratic regimes—has undermined democracy's appeal for many on the continent. At the same time, many external actors are expressing sympathy for regimes that have demonstrated an ability to impose stability and    More >

In the transition from apartheid rule to democratic governance in South Africa, what has been the impact on South African society at its base—on the people in the country's cities, towns, villages, and farms? Louis Picard and Thomas Mogale offer answers to this fundamental question, tracing historical trends and measuring change (or the lack of it) in the dynamic between the promise of    More >

Making Institutions Work in South Africa places the structures and processes of institutionalization at the center of debates about democracy, state, and society in South Africa. As they explore the factors that facilitate, and those that impede, strong, well-functioning institutions, the contributors share three core assumptions: institutions are the pillars of a constitutional democracy; they    More >

The Middle East and North Africa comprise by all measures one of the least democratic regions in the world. At the same time, decades of research show robust support for democracy among MENA residents. A paradox ... or is it? Hannah Ridge explores the "democracy paradox" by parsing the meanings that citizens assign to the Arab word dimuqratiyya. Drawing on Arab Barometer data from    More >

Satu Riutta asks whether civic education initiatives—to which huge sums of donor funds and effort are devoted annually—actually promote political participation among the rural poor in nascent democracies. Does raising awareness about citizen rights and responsibilities increase participation? Are the effects of civic education greatest on collective or individual forms of    More >

Libya's enigmatic Muammar Qaddafi demonstrated a perhaps unprecedented capacity for reinvention and survival, particularly in the realm of foreign policy. Yehudit Ronen traces Libya's sometimes tortuous trajectory in international affairs across the four decades of Qaddafi's leadership. Ronen addresses a range of critical issues: oil politics, foreign military adventurism, WMDs,    More >

Is Nigeria, with its vast wealth in both human and natural resources, on the path to realizing its enormous potential? Or is it in danger of becoming a failed state? Crafting the New Nigeria considers the challenges that the country's leadership now faces, offering rich—and sobering—analyses of Nigeria's current political and economic systems.    More >

Can a stable political order be established in Liberia in the aftermath of the collapse of governance and a horrendous period of pillage and carnage? Amos Sawyer argues that the task can indeed be accomplished—but only in the context of new constitutional arrangements and governing institutions that differ markedly from those of the past. Sawyer draws deeply on his experience as head of    More >

The sixth edition of Understanding Contemporary Africa, and the first under the editorship of Peter Schraeder, combines the strengths of the previous editions with coverage of new topics suggested over the years by the many instructors who regularly assign the text in their classes. Entirely new chapters on the politics of public health, the changing roles of women, LGBTIQ rights, environmental    More >

As Miles Larmer writes in the foreword, Adventures in Zambian Politics is unlike any political memoir you have ever read. It is ... A political history of Zambia from colonial times to the present. A revealing insider account of politics and government within a modern African state. A story about race in Africa. A chronicle of the rise and fall of two improbable political allies who wanted to    More >

How do disputants in Africa's civil wars—rebel movements, ethnic groups, state leaders—find security in the midst of anarchic situations? Why do some rebel movements pursue a secessionist agenda while others seek to overthrow the existing government? Under what circumstances will insurgents agree to share power? Proposing answers to these questions, Ian Spears offers a fresh    More >

What are the prospects for democracy in North Africa in the wake of the Arab Spring? Addressing that question, Lise Storm provides a rich analysis of party politics in the region. Storm focuses on Tunisia, Morocco, and Algeria, examining the key characteristics and political dynamics of each country's party system as they have evolved over time. Her research sheds light not only on the    More >

It is widely assumed that the African National Congress essentially disappeared from South Africa after its banning in 1960 and the imprisonment of its leaders, until public support for it revived in the wake of the 1976 Soweto uprising. Raymond Suttner takes issue with that view. Drawing on extensive oral testimony, Suttner reveals how internally based activists, often working independently of    More >

Raymond Suttner brings together the best of his recent work to offer both an in-depth engagement with the current challenges facing South Africa and a damning account of the politics of the Zuma era. Notably, despite his strongly argued criticism of the country’s present political order, he does not leave the reader with a sense of pessimism, but instead points to ways in which South    More >

Ian Taylor explores the nature and implications of China's burgeoning role in Africa, arguing that Beijing is using Africa not only as a source of needed raw materials and potential new markets, but also to bolster its own position on the international stage. After tracing the history of Sino-African relations, Taylor addresses key current issues: What will be the long-term consequences,    More >

Why are productive, development-supporting relations between business and government still so rare in Africa? Scott Taylor addresses this question, examining state-business coalitions as they emerge, and endure or collapse, in three representative countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Taylor illuminates three possible trajectories: an abortive state-business coalition, as in Zambia; the    More >

Enthusiastically embraced by African presidents, G-7 leaders, and the UN General Assembly alike, the New Partnership for Africa's Development has been advanced as the vehicle that will vitalize the continent's economies. Ian Taylor critically explores just what Nepad is, and what potential it has—or lacks—for promoting African development.    More >

Gardner Thompson offers a fresh history of British rule in Southern Rhodesia, from the first colonial settlements in Mashonaland in the 1890s to the establishment of the country's sovereignty as Zimbabwe. After tracing developments in the early decades, Thompson turns to the post–World War II debate about the colony's future direction—which pitted progressive settlers    More >

In the past several years, the dominance of the African National Congress (ANC) has strained South Africa's democracy and tested its institutions. Within that context, the authors of this collection offer a detailed assessment of the health of the country's political party system.     More >

Aili Mari Tripp takes a close, clear-sighted look at Ugandan politics since 1986, when Yoweri Museveni became the country's president. Museveni's exercise of power has been replete with contradictions: steps toward political liberalization have been controlled in ways that further centralize authority; and despite claims of relative peace and stability, Uganda has been plagued by two    More >

Using southern African nations as an example, the authors argue that emerging societies are poor today thanks to the over reliance on non-local models. Practitioners must consider local cultures—-languages, symbols, customs, and rituals—in developing effective administrative practices. They must absorb the experiences of people who know first-hand the dynamics and conditions in these    More >

In this analysis of South Africa's postapartheid security system, Peter Vale moves beyond a realist discussion of interacting states to examine southern Africa as an integrated whole.   Vale argues that, despite South Africa's manipulation of state structures and elites in the region for its own ends, the suffering endured under the apartheid regime drew the region together at the    More >

That judicial institutions are important for emerging democracies leaves little room for debate. But to what extent do judiciaries in these new democracies maintain their autonomy? And what accounts for varying levels of autonomy across states? Drawing on the cases of Malawi, Zambia, and Namibia—and offering a novel analytical framework—Peter VonDoepp illuminates why power holders    More >

Comprehensive and engaging, this timely introduction to Africa's international relations explores how power, interests, and ideas influence interactions both among the continent's states and between African states and other actors in the global arena. How has history shaped the international relations of African states and peoples? What role does identity play? How are foreign policies    More >

Why do national patterns of Internet expansion differ so greatly throughout Africa? To what extent do politics trump technology? Who are the "information champions" in the various African states? Addressing these and related questions, Negotiating the Net in Africa explores the politics, economics, and technology of Internet diffusion across the continent.   The "Negotiating    More >

Japan’s navy, after that of the United States, is now the most potent in the Pacific Ocean. This book examines the development and potential of the Japanese navy in the context of the U.S.–Japan alliance. Woolley presents Japan’s coming of age as a military—primarily naval—power in a series of case studies on sea-lane defense, minesweeping, and participation in UN    More >

The collapse of states—a phenomenon that goes far beyond rebellion or the change of regimes to involve the literal implosion of structures of authority and legitimacy—has until now received little scholarly attention, despite the fact that a number of states have actually ceased to exist as entities in the aftermath of the collapse of the dominant international system. The authors of    More >

This book is part of a unique series that presents the reader with the original writings and relevant source texts of liberation heroes of Africa, together with a coherent contextual framework and analysis of their legacy.    More >

The kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from the village of Chibok, Nigeria, in 2014 drew the world's attention to the previously little-known extremist group Boko Haram. Numerous questions followed, among them: Where did Boko Haram come from? What explains the rise of this militant Islamic group and its increasingly violent actions? What is its relationship to the Islamic State? Jacob Zenn    More >