Growing democracy in Africa
Subtitle: elections, accountable governance, and political economy
By: edited by Muna Ndulo and Mamoudou Gazibo
Publisher: Cambridge Scholars Publishing
Published: 2016
Place of publication: Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
Language: eng
Number of pages: 360
ISBN-13: 9781443885478
Subjects: Congresses; Politics and government
Description: What is the state of governance in sub-Saharan Africa? Is it possible to identify the best practices and approaches to establishing political systems that promote accountability, transparency, peace, and civic space for all? These are the questions addressed in this book. While the concept of governance is considered to be central to political science, our understanding of it is still imprecise, with extant studies focused primarily either on think-tank indicators, economic management, or political studies of democratization. This book critically examines the record on democratization in Africa thus far, and seeks a new, integrated, focused approach to the study of governance. Such an approach requires revisiting the concept of governance itself, with emphasis on certain decisive components and critical issues. Considered in a democratic framework, the concept of governance can be employed to cast light on accountability issues in several arenas, four of which are considered in detail in this volume: institutions and the rule of law; constitution-making, elections, and political conflict settlement; distribution of power and citizenship; and political economy and corruption. Each contribution offers particular insights in one of these arenas. With a huge and varied continent in rapid flux to study, the sheer amount and variety of interesting new research is enormous. It is expected that the discussions contained herein and the various challenges, achievements, and lessons outlined will contribute to research, inform teaching, and lead to a greater understanding of the issues of democratic consolidation and economic development in Africa.--
Notes: "This book is the result of a symposium titled Elections, Accountability, and Democrtic Governance in Africa held at Cornell University April 20-21, 2012."--Page ix.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 313-355) and index.
Table of contents: title: Revisiting the Study of Governance / Göran Hyden; title: Democratisation in Africa : Achievements and Agenda / Mamoudou Gazibo; title: The Expansion of Judicial Power in Africa and Democratic Consolidation : Opportunities, Challenges and Future Prospects / Charles M. Fombad; title: Constitution-Making in Anglophone Africa : We the People? / Coel Kirkby and Christina Murray; title: Measuring the Persuasive Effects of Electoral Campaigns in Africa / Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz; title: Subnational Elections and Accountability : A Study of Political Decentralization and Democratic Governance / Rachel Beatty Riedl and J. Tyler Dickovick; title: Slippery Citizenship : Nationalism, Democracy and the State in Africa / Jennifer Riggan; title: Federal Developments and Accountable Government Structures in East Africa / Jan Amilcar Schmidt; title: Hereditary Rule in Democratic Africa : Reconciling Citizens and Chiefs / Kate Baldwin; title: Critical Reflections on Social Accountability and Local Government in Ghana / Cyril K. Daddieh; title: "Emerging" Africa : Long-term Perspectives on Growth and Democracy / Antoinette Handley; title: A Legal Framework for Combating Corruption : Case Study from Zambia / Muna Ndulo; title: Two-and-a-Half Cheers for Democracy in Africa / Nicolas van de Walle.