Description
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewDemocratization unfolds in three logical phases: ‘democratic opening’ which is marked by the collapse of an authoritarian regime; ‘democratic transition’ which is usually associated with the conduct of a credible election, and; ‘democratic consolidation’ evidenced by the entrenchment of democratic ethos of fairly permanent basis. The provocative and innovative papers in this book present Africa as a continent caught in seemingly perpetual ‘democratic transition’; it is a continent lacking in strong capacity to consolidate democratic governance. Departing remarkably from the synchronic analyses of the past, the publication adopts a diachronic approach in reviewing the factors responsible for this problem and the efforts being made to deal with the disturbing situations. In particular, the book interrogates the adversarial and non-adversarial strategies for managing the problems associated with democratic transitions in the continent. These well treated issues take us to the heart of a major factor in contemporary Africa’s underdevelopment. A key lesson from the publication is that as long as Africa fails to arrive at actionable strategies for managing its election disputes, it would continue to be a battle ground for domestic and international conflict entrepreneurs. Suggestions are made on how to improve the situation. This makes the book to be of significant academic and policy interest. Students of peace and conflict studies, political science, history, sociology and development workers would find the book to be extremely useful. -- Isaac Olawale Albert, director, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Nigeria and board chairman, Society for Peace Studies and Practice
Table of ContentsPart One: Understanding Africa’s Democratization, Elections, and Conflicts Chapter 1: Dreams and Nightmares: Democratization, Elections, and Conflicts in Africa Chux Ibekwe and Akanmu G. Adebayo Chapter 2: Security in Post-Civil War Democratic Transitions in Africa Abiodun Alao and Mike Adeyeye Chapter 3: Traumatics: The Representation of Trauma in Yvonne Vera’s Without a Name Oumar Cherif Diop Part Two: Domestic and International Issues and Actors Chapter 4: Democratization and Post-Election Conflicts in Nigeria since Independence: A Historical Reconsideration Oluwakemi Abiodun Adesina Chapter 5: Incumbency as a Factor: Appropriation of State Security Resources and Electoral Governance in Nigeria ’Lai Olurode Chapter 6: Religion and Political Activism in Egypt Samy Gerges Chapter 7: Democratization in Senegal: The Failure of the “Sopi” Revolution Haluk B. Bingol and Richard Vengroff Chapter 8: The Involution of Democracy in Lusophone West Africa Brandon D. Lundy Chapter 9: Conflict Analysis of the 2007 Post-election Violence in Kenya Mara J. Roberts Chapter 10: The French Press and Position on Post-Election Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire Edoh Agbehonou Chapter 11: United States Foreign Policy Responses to Africa’s Transition Conflicts Andrew Ewoh Part Three: Conflict Resolution Options Chapter 12: Post-Election Conflict Resolution in Africa: Lessons from African Peace Paradigms Abdul Karim Bangura Chapter 13: An African Model? Conflict Management in Ghana’s 2008 Presidential Elections Joseph Kingsley Adjei Chapter 14: Lessons from South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) for Managing Africa’s Conflicts Edward L. Mienie Chapter 15: Could Forgiveness and Amnesty Be a Panacea to Kenya’s Post-Election Conflict Era? Joseph W. Nasongo, Lydiah L. M. Wamocha, and Judith S. K. Achoka Chapter 16: Establishing Electoral Conflict Management Panels: A Case Study of South Africa Ilona Tip Chapter 17: Post-Electoral Conflict in la Côte d’Ivoire: Road Map to Peace Sarah O. Danso
