The Africanization of Democracy - Elections and Conflict Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sociology and Anthropology 6(1): 152-175, 2018 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/sa.2018.060114 The Africanization of Democracy - Elections and Conflict Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa Jose Pascal da Rocha1,*, Ratha Khuon2 1Columbia University, New York, USA 2Teachers College, N e w Yo r k , USA Copyright©2018 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract This paper explores the lessons learned from which political power is retained or pursued and social the nexus between elections and conflict prevention. It differences are highlighted by candidates and parties in underscores that electoral processes are linked to campaign for popular support. In some countries in democratic control by the citizens and, thus, paramount to Sub-Saharan Africa, including Benin, Cape Verde, and good governance and accountability of political actors. Ghana, electoral democracy has brought political These factors contribute legitimacy to the governments and, competition’s positive effects, including responsive ultimately, promote conflict prevention, conflict government, a wider scope for civil liberties, social justice, transformation, and peace infrastructures. Drawing on the and the like. In other countries, however, including Nigeria, cases of Benin and Uganda, this study will examine the Zimbabwe, and Rwanda, for example, elections have conditions and variables of the contexts that either support yielded nothing more than a standstill in political or hinder leaders to relinquish power according to transitions and democracy dividends. Most recently, events constitutional term limits, explore the role of political in Senegal and Mali illustrated how variably the cause of parties and non-governmental organizations as democratization is faring in Africa.
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