Democracy in Africa

Students can read any of the 10 articles below. Afterward, write a 1-page essay on it and email it to HumanistMutualAid@gmail.com. In your essay, please highlight the three most important ideas or contributions of the author and share your own reflections, thoughts, and reactions to their views. You can write about as many of the essays as you wish.

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Rethinking African Democracy by Claude Ake - A classic analysis arguing that democracy in Africa must be reinterpreted through the lens of structural, economic, and institutional realities unique to the continent. Ake was a prominent Nigerian political theorist. - Read it via the Journal of Democracy (Project Muse) Journal of Democracy.

How can we design democracy so that it better fits African realities? by Nic Cheeseman (World Economic Forum) - Cheeseman explores how African countries can tailor democratic systems to local contexts—balancing inclusion and competition—highlighting successes even in the absence of traditional “preconditions” for democracy.
Read on WEF World Economic Forum.

Dilemmas of democracy and state power in Africa by Richard Joseph (Brookings) - Essay examines the dual challenges of democratic pushback and entrenched state power, across shifting geopolitical influences, domestic conflicts, and governance failures.
Available via Brookings Brookings.

Democracy and Reconfigured Power in Africa (Brookings) - Using case studies such as Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Ivory Coast, the article discusses how international and regional coalitions, constitutional reform, and civic mobilization can support democratic transitions. - See full essay at Brookings Brookings.

Good and Inclusive Governance is Imperative for Africa’s Future by John Mukum Mbaku (Brookings / Foresight Africa 2020) - Mbaku demonstrates that democratic transformation—and the associated economic and political benefits—depend on strong institutions, civil society engagement, and transparency in governance.
Published by Brookings Brookings.

#Up4Democracy: Strengthening African democracies—Lessons from the continent by Michael Mbewe (Freiheit.org, Dec 2024) - A forward-looking piece that distills key lessons from African democracies—like BOTSWANA's institutional strength, the role of civic education, technology, and regional peer mechanisms (e.g., AU, ECOWAS)—to reinforce democratic resilience. - Read on Freiheit.org Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

The Future of Democracy in Africa (CIRSD, Horizons Summer 2021) - This article examines continental frameworks—such as the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance—proposing that democracy is foundational to development, conflict avoidance, and long-term peace across Africa.
Detailed in CIRSD Horizons CIRSD.