Growing Democracy in Africa: Elections, Accountable Governance, and Political Economy

Edited by Muna Ndulo & Mamoudou Gazibo

2016
ISBN:  978-1-4438-8547-8

ICLA contribution:  Chapter on ‘The Expansion of Judicial Power in Africa and Democratic Consolidation: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Prospects’ by Charles Manga Fombad

 About the publication

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.

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Table of contents

List of Tables and Figures
Acknowledgements
Contributors
Acronyms
Introduction
Muna Ndulo and Mamoudou Gazibo

  1. Part 1: Institutions and Concepts of Governance
    Chapter One
    Revisiting the Study of Governance
    Göran Hyden
  2. Chapter Two
    Democratisation in Africa: Achievements and Agenda
    Mamoudou Gazibo
  3. Chapter Three
    The Expansion of Judicial Power in Africa and Democratic Consolidation: Opportunities, Challenges and Future Prospects
    Charles M. Fombad

    Part 2: Constitution-Making, Elections, and Conflict Settlement
  4. Chapter Four
    Constitution-Making in Anglophone Africa: We the People?
    Coel Kirkby and Christina Murray
  5. Chapter Five
    Measuring the Persuasive Effects of Electoral Campaigns in Africa
    Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz
  6. Chapter Six
    Subnational Elections and Accountability: A Study of Political Decentralization and Democratic Governance
    Rachel Beatty Riedl and J. Tyler Dickovick

    Part 3: Local Governance and Citizenship
  7. Chapter Seven
    Slippery Citizenship: Nationalism, Democracy and the State in Africa
    Jennifer Riggan
  8. Chapter Eight
    Federal Developments and Accountable Government Structures in East Africa
    Jan Amilcar Schmidt
  9. Chapter Nine
    Hereditary Rule in Democratic Africa: Reconciling Citizens and Chiefs
    Kate Baldwin
  10. Chapter Ten
    Critical Reflections on Social Accountability and Local Government in Ghana
    Cyril K. Daddieh

    Part 4: Political Economy and Corruption
  11. Chapter Eleven
    “Emerging” Africa: Long-term Perspectives on Growth and Democracy
    Antoinette Handley
  12. Chapter Twelve
    A Legal Framework for Combating Corruption: Case Study from Zambia
    Muna Ndulo

    Concluding Thoughts
  13. Chapter Thirteen
    Two-and-a-Half Cheers for Democracy in Africa
    Nicolas van de Walle

Bibliography
Index