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Escape from Tyranny: Civil Society and Democratic Struggles in Africa

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The Handbook of Civil Society in Africa

Part of the book series: Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies ((NCSS,volume 20))

Abstract

Scholars and practitioners have long pinned their hopes for democratization in Africa on civil society groups. Yet, these groups face tremendous barriers and limitations from state and nonstate actors alike, as well as internal contradictions that hamper their abilities to build democracy. This chapter unpacks these contradictions, focusing in particular on how civil society is immersed in neopatrimonial politics across the continent, while remaining essential in the move away from neopatrimonialism to more democratic politics. How can civil society actors, who are so clearly a part of society at large, transform the dominant oligarchic pattern of politics across the continent from within? In grappling with this conundrum, we extrapolate from three cases representing a spectrum of democratic progress. These are: Ghana, a continental success story; Uganda, where the state remains openly hostile to reform; and Nigeria, stuck somewhere in between reform and oligarchy.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Available at http://opendataforafrica.org/nkhxqyc?tsId=1284240.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Conflict Resolution, Center for Peace, Democracy, and Development, University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA

    Assoc. Prof. Darren Kew PhD

  2. Global Governance and Human Security Programme, University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA

    Modupe Oshikoya PhD

Authors
  1. Assoc. Prof. Darren Kew PhD
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  2. Modupe Oshikoya PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Darren Kew PhD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Ebenezer Obadare

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Kew, D., Oshikoya, M. (2014). Escape from Tyranny: Civil Society and Democratic Struggles in Africa. In: Obadare, E. (eds) The Handbook of Civil Society in Africa. Nonprofit and Civil Society Studies, vol 20. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8262-8_2

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