Preventing Violent Conflict in Africa Inequalities, Perceptions and Institutions

Horizontal inequalities are root causes of violent conflict in Africa. Yet, people take actions not because of statistical data on inequalities, of which they might not be aware, but because of injustices they perceive. This volume analyses the results of original surveys with over 3,000 respondents in African cities and towns, exposing clear discrepancies between objective inequalities and people's subjective perceptions. The contributors examine experiences in country pairs and probe into the reasons why neighbouring countries, sharing common historical traits, sometimes took contrasting pathways of peace and violent conflict. Combining quantitative analysis and qualitative anatomy of historical experiences of conflict and reconciliation in Rwanda, Burundi, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Nigeria, the study brings forward a set of policy recommendations for development practitioners. This work further addresses the issue of institutional choice and reveals how sustainable power-sharing and decentralisation contribute to political stability in Africa.

Yoichi Mine is Professor of Human Security and African Studies, Doshisha University, Japan, and Visiting Fellow, JICA Research Institute.

Frances Stewart is Emeritus Professor of Development Economics, Emeritus Fellow of Somerville College and Director, Centre for Research on Inequality, Human Security and Ethnicity (CRISE), University of Oxford, UK.

Sakiko Fukuda-Parr is Professor of International Affairs, The New School, USA.

Thandika Mkandawire is Professor of African Development, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.

Foreword; Sadako Ogata
1. Introduction: Disentangling the Linkages between Horizontal Inequalities and Political Institutions ; Sakiko Fukuda-Parr, Arnim Langer and Yoichi Mine
2. Comparing Political Institutions: Institutional Choice and Conflict Prevention in Africa; Yoichi Mine, Mari Katayanagi and Satoru Mikami
3. 'Twin Countries' with Contrasting Institutions: Post-Conflict State-Building in Rwanda and Burundi; Shinichi Takeuchi
4. Horizontal Inequalities, Ethnic Politics, and Violent Conflict: The Contrasting Experiences of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire; Arnim Langer
5. Beyond Ad hoc Power-Sharing: Comparing South Africa and Zimbabwe; Yoichi Mine
6. Is Ethnic Autonomy Compatible with a Unitary State? The Case of Uganda and Tanzania; Yuichi Sasaoka and Julius E. Nyang'oro
7. The Politics of Identity, Horizontal Inequalities, and Conflict in Kenya; Mwangi S. Kimenyi
8. Managing Horizontal Inequalities and Violent Conflicts in Nigeria; Ukoha Ukiwo
9. The Relationship between Objective and Subjective Horizontal Inequalities: Evidence from Five African Countries; Arnim Langer and Satoru Mikami
10. Findings and Implications: The Role of Development Cooperation; Frances Stewart, Thandika Mkandawire and Mari Katayanagi