Africanizing Democracies 1980-Present

Africanizing Democracies examines the ways in which Africans have constructed and reshaped democracy in order to fit their own political ideals and agendas. Analyzing political democratization in this vast continent--which is home to fifty-five sovereign countries--the book includes voices of Africans from all walks of life and utilizes a wide variety of primary sources, including newspaper articles, speeches, memoirs, films, letters, and photographs. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of democratization in Africa, demonstrating how the process has had a significant impact on the continent's economic, social, and cultural landscape. Africanizing Democracies looks at democratization in relation to such topics as the end of apartheid, the role of women in politics, the Arab Spring, debt relief and humanitarian aid, China's growing involvement in Africa, HIV/AIDS and other significant health concerns, feminism and LGBT activism, and peace and security issues, among others.

Alicia C. Decker is Assistant Professor of History and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Purdue University.

Andrea L. Arrington is Assistant Professor of History at the University of Arkansas.