African Studies Is a Complex

African studies is a complex field of study that has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years. Much of the interest in African studies exist because of the nature of the political and social issues that are present in various countries on the continent of Africa. Many scholars have attempted to explain the nature of political and social conditions on the continent. Authors such as Dele Olowu and James Stevenson Wunsch have attempted to explain the nature of democracy in African Nations. In a book entitled Local governance in Africa: the challenges of democratic decentralization, the authors attempt to address the problems that arise at the local level as it pertains to implementing a decentralized democratic political structure. The authors are both optimistic and honest in the manner in which they evaluate the challenges that face Africa as it pertains to local governance and democratic decentralization. According to the authors "the purpose of the book is to explore under what conditions decentralization reforms in Africa develop into effective local governance."

Review

The book explores a number of topics. The first of which is the history of democratic decentralization on the continent of Africa. The authors point out that colonial rule was a dominant factor of most African nations and that colonialism usually involved indirect rule. The authors further assert that "This system succeeding in guaranteeing the conquered territories to their new masters but it could not serve as a springboard for political, economic, or social development."

Having this background knowledge provides an important framework or foundation for explaining the challenges that are present in the various nations as it pertains to local governance of decentralization.

The overall purpose of the book is to explain the challenges associated with democratic decentralization in Africa and the manner in which the nations discussed deal with these challenges. The authors also focus on whether or not decentralization of government brings about the changes that are expected and/or needed. These changes include more control over programs, increases in resource mobilization and as a mechanism for improving governance. The authors also explain that prior to the 1980s efforts at decentralization failed because local governments did not have the appropriate amount of authority or resources. As a result the aforementioned changes did not occur. However, after the 1980's countries that implemented a decentralized plan actually gave local governments the authority and resources needed to be successful.

The authors are insightful and present the reader with a knowledge of Africa that is not often discussed. This knowledge is associated with the manner in which local governments function and how the manner in which they function influence the proliferation of democratic decentralization. More specifically the authors investigate the aforementioned phenomenon in the countries of Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, Chad, Uganda and Kenya. When evaluating each country, the authors expose the various challenges with the local governments. For instance, the book details the multiple levels of local governance that exist in the nation of Uganda. The authors explain that Uganda is governed by a Local Council System. This system was borne out of the National resistance movement that came about in the 1980's to conduct gorilla warfare against the Milton Obote Regime. Ultimately the regime was overthrown and the councils were organized into five-stage pyramid committee. These councils were elected by the villages that they represented. The book also explains that the councils have always had a great deal of responsibility and as such the 1993 decentralization statute simply added to this responsible. In some ways Uganda was more prepared than other African Nations because these councils already existed and as such the country did not have to go thorough the process of creating new local governments as a result of the statute. Uganda did, however, have to undergo the process of making these councils legitimate with the proper amount of authority. As a result of the new found authority, Uganda has been extremely successful in developing a relatively stable decentralized democracy.

In addition to describing the political situation in Uganda the book also provide a comparative analysis of Botswana and South Africa. The authors explain that "evaluating local governance in Botswana and as it operated in one province in South Africa in 1995-1996, it explores the extent to which devolution of authority and of resources, existence of local mechanisms of accountability, and local institutions of collective action are associated with effective performance by local governments."

This particular comparison was beneficial because it illustrates the ways in which local governments can be placed in difficult positions when the proper amount of authority is not present. The devolution of authority often means that the people in a particular region do not have faith or trust in governmental officials. When this occurs the chances of decentralized democracy taking root is significantly decreased. This comparative study also reveals the need to ensure that local governments have the adequate resources so that decentralized democracy can occur.

The authors contribute to the body of knowledge concerning the continent of Africa and decentralized democratic political systems. This contribution is important because the continent of Africa is composed of many different countries and cultures. The book explains the manner in which democracy functions in different countries and what steps should be taken to overcome the various obstacles that are present and impede upon the ability of local governments to function effectively. The comprehensive gathering and evaluation of this information is essential for other nations in Africa and also for nations around the world that face similar challenges as they become decentralized democracies.

The information contained in Local governance in Africa: the challenges of democratic decentralization is also useful to the international community. That is when nations around the world are assisting African nations in the building of healthy democracies, the information contained in this book will assists them in understanding how to help these nations in developing strong democracies. If the international community is aware of what obstacles that the nations face, they can establish the proper support systems for the countries they are assisting.

Many authors have approach this topic prior to and after the publishing of this book. Prior to the publishing of this book many evaluations of democracy in Africa did not c0oncentrate on local governance. In addition other studies failed to specifically focus on individual African countries and focused on the continent as a whole.

With this understood, the book has been influential in that is addresses many of the problems that are present on the entire continent. Peck (2005) review of this book reveals that

"The author-editors and their contributors find ground for cautious optimism in a revival of democratic local politics. The success of democratic local governance is by no means guaranteed…however, they argue that with more recent approaches, it can be created, and even in some unlikely national settings. They provide a hardheaded examination of this topic, with only an occasional creation of the glazing over of eyes so often caused by, say, discussions of municipal services and rates and other details, which they admit can sometimes seem overly technical.

For the most part, they avoid inappropriate social scientific pretensions poorly justified by the nature of their evidence. The result is a book of considerable interest, and one much more optimistic than much we read of Africa today ."

Peck's assessment that the authors are optimistic concerning the future of democracy in Africa is a correct observation. Whereas other literature pertaining to the topic has often been pessimistic concerning the ability of the continent of Africa to rise above its circumstances, this book illustrates the strengths of these various nations as it pertains to their local governments. In addition, the book places a great deal of emphasis on the desire that local governments have to build a democratic political structure that is strong and will better serve the citizens of the respective countries.

Other writers and researchers have also utilized this book as a reference. In fact, an article entitled the Challenges of Decentralization uses the book to comment on the capacity of local governments to proper implement democratic policies (Devas, 2005).

The author also focuses on the solutions that can serve as remedies to the obstacle present in the book.

Overall the importance of the book lies in the information that it presents to government officials in African nations, the international community and scholars. All of these stakeholders have to understand the dynamics of decentralized democracy so that attempts to implement such a political structure in nations throughout the world can be approached in a manner that is efficient and effective.

The authors are successful in the manner in which they detail the precise structure of local government in each of the countries examined. The authors do an excellent job of explaining to the reader the history of political systems in Africa as a whole and the particular political backgrounds of each nation in particular. The authors explain the ways in which the history of each country has effected the ability of the nations to implement in doing this the authors are able to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the how decentralized democracy functions in certain African nations.