Think Tanks, Governance, and Development in Africa

This significant book addresses an important missing link in the literature on politics, governance, public policy and administration in sub-Saharan Africa. It contributes to the understanding of emergent independent institutions that are now playing active roles in formulating and implementing public policies and programs in these countries.

Bringing together an array of esteemed academics and practitioners, this book surveys the landscape of think tanks in sub-Saharan Africa and provides in-depth case studies of the policy terrain in Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa. With the emergence of effective governance developing in the early 1990s and the opening up of hitherto closed authoritarian policy spaces, the authors explore the ways in which civil society groups are now a force to be reckoned with as they attempt to successfully bring citizens into the policy making process. This prescient exploration of the challenges facing these institutions highlights good governance practice and proposes policy recommendations to better support civil society development in Africa.

Think Tanks, Governance, and Development in Africa is a vital read for academics, researchers and students specializing in development studies, regulation and governance, social policy in emerging countries and political science. Its case studies and practical recommendations are also of interest to policymakers, political advocates and practitioners working in African governance at both the global and national levels.