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Africa

🎭 What the West gets wrong about democracy 

August 19, 2025

🎭 Why Africa needs non-adversarial democracy 

May 29, 2025

Could South Africa's elections finally see the ANC ousted from office?

May 28, 2024

♟️ Russia’s mercenaries are bolstering autocratic regimes in the Sahel

May 13, 2024

Cameroon braces for presidential elections

March 26, 2024
March 15, 2024

🔮 It’s not populism. It’s something worse

Dan Paget Some ideologies look like populisms, but aren’t, writes Dan Paget. Instead, like populisms, these distinctive authoritarian ideologies envisage struggles of 'the people' against 'the corrupt'. Yet unlike them, they envisage 'the leaders' not as embodiments of the people’s will but as guardians of their interests. He calls this 'elitist plebeianism' Read more
February 20, 2024

There is a resurgence of military coups in Africa's Sahel region. Why?

Collins Molua Ikome Collins Molua and Gift Mwonzora argue that the decision by Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to leave the Economic Community of West African States was a rash one, which may risk legitimising further coups. What's more, deteriorating diplomatic relations between these countries and the West could have knock-on effects for regional peace and security Read more
January 19, 2024

Winning aspiration needed to advance US foreign policy interests in Zimbabwe

Michael Walsh The American Embassy in Harare has failed to achieve its desired outcomes. Michael Walsh argues that the US Department of State needs a new approach to country-level foreign policy planning Read more
November 7, 2023

Explaining the reasons for recent military coups in Africa

Reuben Twinomujuni Why has West Africa experienced so many military coups over the past couple of years? Reuben Twinomujuni and Hannah Muzee say the inadequacies of the African Union are only part of the problem. They argue that the phenomenon is also to the result of internal and external forces that impede united African action Read more
October 27, 2023

Digital elections no magic remedy for Zimbabwe's blighted democracy

Gift Mwonzora Can digitalisation prevent election tampering in Zimbabwe? New technologies certainly have the potential to improve the conduct and management of elections. But, as Gift Mwonzora argues, without concomitant political will and adherence to electoral laws, digitalisation does little to enhance electoral integrity and democracy in (semi-)authoritarian regimes Read more

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