Democracy in Africa

Madagascar’s recipe for pre-election volatility: Just add locusts, bandits, and predatory politicians

Brian Klaas — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:49:29 +0000

In this article, Brian Klaas takes a look at Madagascar, arguing that whilst nothing is certain in politics, there may well be trouble ahead. Trouble is brewing in Madagascar as the country lurches toward national elections on July 24. Recently, there was a glimmer of hope that the long-simmering political crisis sparked [...]

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The charismatic, moderate voice of Islam in Mali

Laurence Deschamps-Laporte — Mon, 06 May 2013 06:13:48 +0000

Following her update on the Malian crisis, Laurence Deschamps-Laporte highlights the importance of exploring the more moderate voices of Islam in northern Mali. In this post she focuses in on Ançare Dine and its charismatic leader Cheick Haidara, exploring his take on the crisis in Mali, other Muslim groups and the French intervention. Laurence is an [...]

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Broadening the lens on Zimbabwe: a response to Simukai Tinhu

SJ Cooper-Knock — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 20:09:44 +0000

In this blog one of our co-editors, Sarah Jane Cooper-Knock, shares her thoughts on a recent article by Simukai Tinhu on the political landscape in Zimbabwe. Last Tuesday, Simukai Tinhu wrote an article that appeared on the Guardian Africa Network explaining ‘why Zimbabwean voters are deserting Morgan Tsvangirai’. This is a thought-provoking article, and Tinhu’s argument [...]

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New: The Routledge Handbook of African Politics

Andrea Scheibler — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:00:54 +0000

In this blog, Andrea Scheibler tells us about the new Routledge Handbook of African Politics, that she has edited with our Co-editor Dr Nic Cheeseman and Prof David Anderson. Andrea is a DPhil candidate in African History at the University of Oxford, and a member of St Hugh’s College. The Routledge [...]

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Central African Republic: what does the political future hold?

SJ Cooper-Knock — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:30:55 +0000

In the second of a two-part series, Carol Jean Gallo takes a look at what the political future might hold for the Central African Republic. Carol Jean Gallo is a PhD candidate at the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge University. She also blogs at UN Dispatch and Usalama. Who are Séléka and what sort of change might [...]

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Central African Republic: more than just a series of coups.

Carol Jean Gallo — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 10:41:22 +0000

In the first of a two-part series, Carol Jean Gallo argues that we need to look beyond the image of CAR as a country dominated by a series of coups, and understand the complexities of its political history, and the factors shaping its political future. Carol Jean Gallo is a PhD candidate at the Department of [...]

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The Prospects for Electoral Pacts and Democratic Progress in Zimbabwe

Pedzisai Ruhanya — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:56:47 +0000

In this opinion piece, Pedzisai Ruhanya stresses the need for the opposition to unite ahead of this year’s elections in Zimbabwe. Pedzisai is a PhD candidate and the director of the Zimbabwe Democracy Institute Trust. Just as Kenya’s new deputy president William Ruto was critical to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s win in the recent elections, Professor [...]

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Understanding the Malian crisis and its actors

Laurence Deschamps-Laporte — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 20:00:00 +0000

As conflict Mali continues, Laurence Deschamps-Laporte puts together a timeline of major developments, an overview to the key actors involved, and a note on the current situation. Laurence is an MPhil candidate at Oxford Department of International Development. Timeline 2012 22nd March: A military coup led by a mid-level military officer, Amadou Sanogo, is [...]

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Dr Blessings Chinsinga on presidents, plots, and political vision in Malawi.

Alexandra Lowe and SJ Cooper-Knock — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 09:58:15 +0000

The last year has been an eventful one in Malawi. In this interview, Dr Blessings Chinsinga gives us his views on the political and economic landscape of the country, critiquing Joyce Banda’s lack of vision in leadership and exploring her prospects at the polls in 2014. Since Joyce Banda became President on 7th April 2012 [...]

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Powering democracy and growth? Exploring the links between electrification, mobile use, growth and democracy.

Ben Armstrong — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 10:19:57 +0000

In this fascinating article, Ben Armstrong explores the evidence around mobile usage and electrification to ask what implications developments in these two areas can have on a country’s democracy and GDP. Ben Armstrong is CEO at WellDone, an organization using mobile technology to collect and communicate critical infrastructure data. In rural Nigerian hospitals, doctors hold mobile [...]

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