Party Proliferation and Political Contestation in Africa
Senegal in Comparative Perspective
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Beschreibung
This book analyzes several components of democratization and party competition in West Africa focusing on Senegal – a country with one of the longest histories of multiparty elections. It does so in service of examining the origins and consequences of the proliferation of political parties, a trend that has taken hold in Senegal and a variety of other African countries. The author uses novel sources of data to illuminate the economic and political roots of party functions and trajectories by placing party formation, opposition, ruling party loyalty, and presidential turnover into local and regional contexts. This work will appeal to African Studies scholars, professors, graduate students, and policy makers.
Catherine Lena Kelly is an Advisor at the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative and a scholar-practitioner in Washington, DC, USA.
This book analyzes several components of democratization and party competition in West Africa focusing on Senegal – a country with one of the longest histories of multiparty elections. It does so in service of examining the origins and consequences of the proliferation of political parties, a trend that has taken hold in Senegal and a variety of other African countries. The author uses novel sources of data to illuminate the economic and political roots of party functions and trajectories by placing party formation, opposition, ruling party loyalty, and presidential turnover into local and regional contexts. This work will appeal to African Studies scholars, professors, graduate students, and policy makers.
Urges social scientists to analyze the local meanings of institutions, grassroots political context, and individual behavior in the analysis of party politics Combines ideas and methods from political science, anthropology, and history, and includes information from over one hundred elite interviews and original party-level data gathered in West Africa Examines the sources of party proliferation as well as the consequences for opposition and contestation, and deciphers what these patterns mean for democratization in Senegal
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Catherine Lena Kelly
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“Having twice experienced a turnover in power following the defeat of incumbents in presidential elections, Senegal has been widely hailed as a model of democracy in Africa. Yet the country continues to intrigue and puzzle analysts for its unexpected political dynamics. Prime among these are the striking proliferation of parties that do not conform to expected logics of party politics, and the failure to institutionalize the party system. In the consequent debate on the nature of Senegalese democracy, Kelly offers an explanation for this phenomenon within the theoretical framework of “competitive authoritarianism.” Building on a wealth of data gathered from interviews over a year and a half of fieldwork, she offers a fine-grained and nuanced empirical examination of the logic of party creation and the dynamics of party trajectories over a quarter century of democratic experimentation. This book will be of high interest not only for those attempting to make senseof the intriguing Senegalese case, but more broadly for those interested in the surprising patterns of party politics in African democratization.” (Leonardo A. Villalón, Professor and Dean, University of Florida, USA)
“An analytical treasure trove, this book takes our understanding of Senegal’s idiosyncratic democracy to a whole new level. In it, Kelly skillfully explains the intricacies and inner workings of Senegal’s ever-evolving democratic system, sharing her expert knowledge with us, the readers. A must-read for political scientists and Africanists alike, this book shows us why Senegal stands out as an especially useful and salient case study of political party formation and proliferation.” (Matthew T. Page, Associate Fellow, Africa Programme, Chatham House, UK)
“This important book tells us why and how party proliferation occurs, as politicians create new parties, rather than remaining loyal or collaborating with existing options. Kelly makes the case that this is costly for democracy and accountability. When parties function primarily as vehicles for negotiating patronage rather than long-term electoral mobilization, there are adverse consequences for oppositional strategies, candidate selection, and elite defection. A critical book for scholarship and policy on political parties, democracy, and governance in the region.” (Rachel Beatty Riedl, Director of Program on African Studies and Associate Professor of Political Science, Northwestern University, USA)
“In this deeply researched and highly accessible book, Catherine Kelly takes up a vital question in the study of contemporary Africa – why are there so many political parties? In the course of her masterful examination of Senegal, a prominent African democracy, Kelly challenges conventional assumptions about how political parties work and what they want. By showing the patterns underlying Senegal's hundreds of parties and its long history of defectionsand realignments, she sheds crucial light on broader issues related to how democratic experiments unfold. This excellent study will have wide relevance for researchers, students, and policymakers working on Africa – as well as for anyone interested in understanding emerging democracies around the world.” (Alexander Thurston, Visiting Assistant Professor of Political Science and Comparative Religion, Miami University of Ohio, USA)
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