An Introduction to African Politics / Alex Thomson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thomson, Alex, 1966- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Africa--Politics and government.

Africa.

Politics and government.

Physical Description:

vi, 298 pages : illustrations, maps ; 25 cm

Edition:

Fourth edition.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group, 2016.

Summary:

The fourth edition of An Introduction to African Politics is an ideal textbook for those new to the study of this fascinating continent. It gets to the heart of the politics of this part of the world. How is modern Africa still influenced by its colonial past? How do strong ethnic and religious identities on the continent affect government? Why has the military been so influential? How does African democracy differ from democracy in the West? These are the sorts of questions tackled by the book. The result is a textbook that identifies the essential features of African politics, allowing students to grasp the recurring political patterns that have dominated this continent since independence. Key features: Thematically organised, with individual chapters exploring issues such as colonialism, ethnicity, nationalism, religion, social class, ideology, legitimacy, authority, sovereignty and democracy. Identifies key recurrent themes such as the competitive relationships between the African state, its civil society and external interests. Contains useful boxed case studies at the end of each chapter, including: Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Botswana, Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, Somalia, Ghana, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe. Each chapter concludes with key terms and definitions, as well as questions and advice on further reading. This textbook is essential reading for students seeking an accessible introduction to the complex social relationships and events that characterise the politics of post-colonial Africa. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction: state, civil society and external interests

History: Africa's pre-colonial and colonial inheritance ; Case study: Kenya's historical inheritance

Ideology: nationalism, socialism, populism and state capitalism ; Case study: socialism and Ujamaa in Tanzania

Ethnicity and religion: 'tribes', gods and political identity ; Case study: ethnicity, religion and the nation-state in Nigeria

Social class: the search for class politics in Africa ; Case study: social class in Botswana

Legitimacy: neo-patrimonialism, personal rule and the centralisation of the African state ; Case study: personal rule in Côte D'Ivoire

Coercion: military intervention in African politics ; Case study: Uganda's 1971 military coup

Sovereignty I: external influences on African politics ; Case study: Somalia's international relations

Sovereignty II: neo-colonialism, structural adjustment and Africa's political economy ; Case study: Ghana's structural adjustment

Authority: the crises of accumulation, governance and state collapse ; Case study: Zaire, Mobutu¿s vampire state

Democracy: re-legitimising the african state? ; Case study: Zimbabwe's fall from democratic grace

Conclusions: the changing relationship between state, civil society and external interests in the post colonial era.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781138782846

9781138782839

1138782831

113878284X

1315767422

9781315767420

OCLC:

923665941

Publisher Number:

99983566883