The Democratization Process and Popular Participation in Africa: Emerging Realities and the Challenges Ahead

Abstract

Many observers have judged the recent wave of democratization in Africa as an unstoppable process and have overemphasized the role of external factors in inducing this change. This article argues that the quality of change has been fragile and defective in many respects, and draws attention to the susceptibility of the process of democratic transition to reversals. It goes on to underscore the importance of internal forces in bringing about change and in ensuring the sustainability of democracy in Africa. The tasks that lie ahead for civil society in Africa and the role of the international community and political conditionality of aid in this context are then debated.

Residents' perceptions towards tourism development: the case of Sal Island

“…The situation of relative political stability in the country, with multi‐party elections and a reasonable democratic functioning of the institutions (Baker, 2006; Bangura, 1994; Rasheed, 1995) has strengthened the confidence of investors and international donors (Baker, 2009; Dijkstra, 2002). Thus, tourism came to replace other mono‐production regimes, and the island remains dependant on little diversified economic systems (CCS, 2007, p. 7).…”