Democratic backsliding in Africa?

Lise Rakner (UiB/CMI), Matthew Gichohi (CMI), Siri Gloppen (UiB/CMI) and Sabiti Makara (Makerere University)

Note: The event will take place at Jekteviksbakken 31. It is also possible to join through Zoom.

Why has Africa not become more democratic in the past three decades? How has geopolitics changed economic and political developments on the continent in the past years?

Focussing on political developments in Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda, the authors emphasize two distinct strategies that governments frequently use to reinforce their hold on power — the legal system and the international system.

Accross the continent, governments employ the law to limit the scope of action among citizens and civil society activists struggling to expand democratic liberties, including the use of constitutional provisions and the courts. 

Governments also use their role in international relations to neutralize pressure from external actors, including sovereigntist claims against foreign intervention and selective implementation of donor-promoted policies.  

Panel
Lise Rakner, professor at Department of Government, UiB, and affiliated researcher at CMI

Matthew Gichohi, researcher at Chr. Michelsen Institute

Siri Gloppen, professor, Department of Government and Vice-Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, UiB, and Co-Director for LawTransform (CMI-UiB Centre on Law & Social Transformation).

Sabiti Makara, Professor at Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Makerere University