Civil SocietyDemoc. in Africa

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

Civil Society & Democratization in Africa What do student organizations, church groups, trade unions and private newspapers have in common? They are all examples of civil society and they have at times played a critical role in challenging repressive and authoritarian governments across sub-Saharan Africa. Yet in modern Africa critics also charge that civil society weakens the already fragile state, and is often undemocratic in its own internal and inter-organizational dynamics. In this course we will consider the intellectual roots of the idea of civil society, as well as assess what African experiences with civil society can teach us about the possibility of democracy to transform lives in other parts of the world. Through case studies of particular countries, including Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ethiopia, we will consider the specific instances of civil society involvement in the context of particular African countries. We will look at the way people use community associations and other networks to avoid involvement in politics, to resist interventions from the state (political, economic and social), and sometimes to directly confront politicians and political leadership. Finally, we will consider whether women, ethnic groups, religious associations or other categories of civil society are more or less likely to contribute to democracy in Africa. The lessons learned apply not only to Africa, but to other newly democratizing countries.