Goran Hyden Libros

The expanded second edition offers a comprehensive review of half a century of research on African politics, highlighting key developments and trends. It examines various political systems, governance challenges, and the impact of historical contexts on contemporary issues. By providing comparative perspectives, the book enhances understanding of the unique political landscapes across the continent, making it a valuable resource for scholars and students interested in African studies and political science.

This book reviews fifty years of research on politics in Africa. It synthesizes insights from different scholarly approaches and offers an original interpretation of the knowledge accumulated over the years. It discusses how research on African politics relates the study of politics in other regions and mainstream theories in Comparative Politics. It focuses on such key issues as the legacy of a movement approach to political change, the nature of the state, the economy of a location, the policy deficit, the agrarian question, gender and politics and ethnicity and conflict.

Most studies of foreign aid deal with its role as an instrument of foreign policy or its effectiveness at the project level. This book focuses on the complications that the operational modalities of donor agencies bring to foreign aid. By starting from a recipient perspective and providing a longitudinal interpretation of the behavior and strategies of these agencies, this book offers fresh insights into foreign aid and how it might be reformed.

Focusing on the unique challenges of comparative politics, this book critiques the Western-centric approach to studying democracy, particularly in the context of African countries. It emphasizes the importance of structural factors over solely human agency and institutions, highlighting how local power dynamics and state-building efforts influence democratic development. By advocating for a more nuanced understanding of regional differences, the author sheds light on underexplored issues in the field, offering valuable insights into the complexities of democratization in diverse contexts.