Seeing through African protest logics: a longitudinal review of continuity and change in protests in Ghana

Abstract

Protests in Africa have a long history. Yet, for many years, western misconceptions in protest studies have hindered our understanding of the particularities and commonalities of African protests. In this study, we scrutinize the historical continuity and discontinuity of protests in Africa, using Ghana as a case. We situate a longitudinal analysis of protests in Ghana within the theoretical model of protest logics, using the institutional-analytical method. The study finds historical continuity largely in terms of proletarian (high cost of living, dispossession and inadequate infrastructure), republican (participatory governance and corruption) and corporatist (working conditions and unemployment) mobilisation themes in Ghana. These themes are underpinned by the processes of class struggle, accumulation by (urban) dispossession, neoliberalism, splintered urbanism, gentrification and corruption. The implication of this study is that contemporary protests in Africa would be influenced by issues such as high cost of living, participatory governance, erratic power supply, unemployment, poor road infrastructure and corruption. These issues should be prioritized in the agenda of African governments in order to avert spontaneous protests. RÉSUMÉ L'Afrique a une longue histoire de protestations. Pourtant les idées fausses émanant des études sur ces mouvements ont entravé notre compréhension des particularités et des similitudes des manifestations en Afrique. Dans cette étude, nous examinons la continuité et la discontinuité des mouvements de protestation en Afrique, en nous appuyant sur le cas du Ghana. Nous situons une analyse longitudinale des protestations au Ghana dans le modèle théorique de la logique de protestation, en utilisant la méthode institutionnelle-analytique. L'étude révèle une continuité historique se déclinant largement en thèmes de mobilisation prolétarienne (coût élevé de la vie, dépossession et infrastructures inadéquates), républicaine (gouvernance participative et corruption) et corporatiste (conditions de travail et chômage) au Ghana. Ces thèmes sont étayés par des processus de lutte des classes, d'accumulation par la dépossession (urbaine), de néolibéralisme, d'éparpillement urbain, de gentrification et de corruption. Cette étude implique que les protestations contemporaines en Afrique sont influencées par des questions comme celles du coût élevé

Subjective well‐being and political participation: Empirical evidence from Ghana

“…To understand this result, one needs to understand why people protest. First, one motive is the liberal logic of protest in which people attempt to advance or protect the interest and well‐being of the marginalized in society (Sylla, ; Asante & Helbrecht, ). In this regard, it may be that Ghanaians who are more satisfied with their lives are more likely to protest because they consider fighting for the rights and living conditions of others the right thing to do (Flavin & Keane, ; Pirralha, ).…”

“…Second, the partisan logic of protest behavior is the idea that people in political interest groups protest in order to win some political capital for their party of interest (Sylla, ; Asante & Helbrecht, ). Third, in the corporatist logic, people protest to protect the interest of a particular group (e.g., union workers).…”

“…Third, in the corporatist logic, people protest to protect the interest of a particular group (e.g., union workers). Fourth, and finally, if people protest to safeguard the interest of the majority of the populace (as opposed to a marginalized or professional group) then the protest motive is the proletarian logic (Sylla, ; Asante & Helbrecht, ) . In Ghana, many demonstrations and protests have occurred along partisan lines without recourse to welfare considerations.…”

“…In spite of all these, an infinitesimal proportion of Ghanaians engage in protest activities (especially those studied here). More recently, sentiments about erratic power supply and worsening economic conditions resulted in demonstrations in the country (British Broadcasting Corporation, ; Asante & Helbrecht, ). Because protests in Ghana have mostly been politically motivated (i.e.…”

“…Protest activities are also undertaken by civil society organizations and student groups such as the Tertiary Institution Network and the Tertiary Education and Students’ Confederacy formed by the NDC and the NPP, respectively (Gyampo, ). In recent times, protest activities in Ghana have been dominated by urban workers (through trade unions), students (especially nursing trainees) and citizen groups protesting increasing economic hardship caused by removal of subsidies on goods and services, increased taxation, rising unemployment, high inflation rates, depreciation of the local currency, as well as erratic power supply (British Broadcasting Corporation, ; Asante & Helbrecht, ). Thus, most contemporary protest activities in Ghana have been fueled by welfare concerns especially when they emanate from government policies.…”