Issues and Trends in Contemporary African Politics

Africa, at the close of the twentieth century, has witnessed a tremendous amount of social, economic, and political transformation. By tackling the issues of political instability, democratization, and economic development, this book goes to the heart of the African conundrum and makes an invaluable contribution to Africa's development. Written by Africans, it offers a much needed «African perspective» that is often lacking in most development literature. African authors are not so encumbered by «political correctness» or «racial sensitivity» and can write more candidly on events as they see them. The book constitutes a long-awaited break with orthodoxy and makes a pioneering effort to tackle issues traditionally spurned by experts because of their rigid separation of economic development and politics. The writers offer constructive solutions to Africa's problems solutions which only Africans would dare to suggest.

Autorentext

The Editor: George Akeya Agbano is Associate Professor and former Chairman of the Department of Political Science at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He is also the current President of the African Association of Political Science (North America Chapter). He was a Member of Parliament in Ghana (1979-1981). In 1987, Dr. Agbango was honored, by a unanimous resolution of the Georgia State Senate, for his distinguished services to the State General Assembly. In 1988 he received the United States Institute of Peace Scholar Award and has a doctorate degree in Political Science from Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Agbango has conducted extensive research on the role of the military in Africa and has published articles on Africa in professional journals.

Zusammenfassung
«George Akeya Agbango has given us a marvelous collection of essays on the trends and developments in contemporary Africa. This is a wonderful book and anyone wanting to know about the nature of the African political and social scene must read this book. Each essay is well-outlined, organized and full of important information. A job well done!» (Molefi Kete Asante, Temple University)
«This is a collection of incisive and self-critical essays on the problems and promises of African political and economic development. The authors are not outside experts on African development, they are African nationals and their writings reflect the searching introspection and nuanced richness that only insiders can develop. While not overlooking the pernicious impact of imperialism and other external forces on African development, the authors focus primarily on internal factors that impede the continent's development, and in the process they prepare the ground for more useful discussions of strategies for African self-development.» (Mack H. Jones, Clark Atlanta University)

Inhalt

Contents: George A. Agbango: Political Instability and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa - Nchor B. Okorn: Violence: The Perennial Obstacle to Social, Economic and Political Development in Nigeria 1960-1990 - George A. Agbango: The Crises of Nation Building: The Liberian Experience - Julius O. Ihonvbere: Election Monitoring and the Democratization Agenda in Africa: The Case of the 1991 Zambian Elections - Baffour Agyeman-Duah: Global Transformation and Political Reforms in Africa: The Case of Ghana - Yakubu Saaka: Legitimizing the Illegitimate: The 1992 Presidential Election as a Prelude to Ghana's Fourth Republic - Henry A. Elonge: Visions of Change in Cameroon Within the Context of a New World Order - Walle Engedayehu: Ethiopia: The Pitfalls of Ethnic Federalism - Margaret C. Lee: South Africa: The Long and Arduous Road to a New Dispensation - Akwasi Osei: South Africa in the African Dilemma - Julius O. Ihonvbere: Democratization in Africa: Challenges and Prospects - George Ayittey: Obstacles to African Development - Julius O. Ihonvbere: Pan-Africanism: Agenda for African Unity in the 1990's?