Political Science in Africa

Liisa Laakso is a senior researcher at the Nordic Africa Institute, Uppsala. Before 2019 she served three years as Rector of the University of Tampere and before that six years as Dean at the University of Helsinki, Faculty of Social Sciences.Siphamandla Zondi joined the Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, South Africa after four years as professor in the Department of Political Sciences, University of Pretoria. He is also a senior research fellow at the Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Studies.

This is a timely study about a discipline that urgently needs introspection. It is even more relevant not because it focuses on Africa but rather because of the lessons the study of political science in Africa bears for a world that seems not to know anymore how to manage political power or to practice democracy. The authors marshal an impressive database that explains the epistemological grounding of the discipline, shows its contemporary relevance and, seen collectively, they help re-centre the study of political science in a very dynamic continent. The pathways for sustainable democratic future are already detectable in Africa and the lessons out of it are a compelling reason why this book is a must read.

• AcknowledgementsList of TablesList of FiguresList of Contributors1. Political science discipline in Africa: Freedom, relevance, impactLiisa Laakso, Nordic Africa Institute, Sweden 2. Political science and the study of Africa: Mapping the theoretical and conceptual terrainShadrack Wanjala Nasong’o, Rhodes College, Memphis, USA3. Political science and development management: Parallel tracks and critical junctures in AfricaGöran Hydén, University of Florida, USA4. Mainstreaming decolonisation in political science in Africa Eghosa E. Osaghae, University of Ibadan, Nigeria5. What does the decolonial turn for political sciences in Africa entail? And where do we start? Siphamandla Zondi, University of Johannesburg, South Africa6. A neglected subject: The politics of mourning the (de)humanisedLebohang Motsomotso, University of South Africa, South Africa7. Political science for whom? Reflections on teaching and learning political science in selected African universitiesChristopher Isike & Olumuyiwa B. Amao, University of Pretoria, South Africa8. Policy studies as a sub-discipline of political science in Africa: Teachings, research trends and professional expertise in Cameroon Ruth Mireille Manga Edimo, University of Yaounde II, Cameroon9. Beyond disciplinary polemics? The challenge of informal structures in the study of local political institutions in Africa Matthew Sabbi, Universität Bayreuth, Germany10.Ethnicity and democracy in Africa: A comparative study of Ghana and NigeriaMaame Adwoa A. Gyekye-Jandoh, University of Ghana, Ghana11. Research on gender, women and politics in Africa: Contributions and innovationsOlajumoke Yacob-Haliso, Brandeis University, USA & Aili Mari Tripp, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA12. The impact of political science research on teaching political science in Southern Africa Njekwa Mate, University of Zambia, Zambia13. Use of empirical data in research and teaching of political science in AfricaOlugbemiga S. Afolabi, Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria & University of Johannesburg, South Africa14. Political scientists as public intellectuals in Africa: Perspectives on relevanceAdigun Agbaje, University of Ibadan, Nigeria15. Political scientists and intellectuals in the political evolution of Cameroon: 1960-2020 Fabien Nkot, Molo Helene Amelie & Isa Adamu, University of Yaounde II, Cameroon16. A critical review of the state of academic freedom in Ghana’s public universities: From pre-independence till the Fourth Republic Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, University of Ghana, Ghana17. The politics of political science in Africa: An afterwordSiphamandla Zondi, University of Johannesburg, South Africa