African Politics

In African states, politics stands in stark contrast to the majority of Western systems. Despite the evolution of formal structures, political behavior is often more influenced by personal and informal relationships. International partners working with African nations expecting familiar concepts of state, stability, and democratization will often find these assumptions wildly out of sync with what is happening on the ground. Ian Taylor explores contemporary African politics in all its diversity, revealing how state and society actually function. Analyzing the historical and cultural factors shaping contemporary African politics, he also considers Africa's unique role in global politics, and the impact this has on its nation states. -- From publisher's description