The idea of democracy in Africa, at least the way it is understood and practiced in the Euro-American context(s), has been a fraught one. As such, its contested legacies on the African continent can be traced to 19th century European colonialism. From the Scramble for Africa Conference in 1884 in Berlin to the clash of imperialism in post-independence Congo in the 1960s, economic imperialism has led to the systemic destruction of local political systems and, more importantly, to an uneven development and dispensation of democratic institutions. This seminar aims to understand, through select texts from North, West and East Africa, how colonial legacies have shaped civic institutions, public life and the conflicts produced by the ethno-nationalist vacuums created by postcolonial nation building.
- Trainer/in: Pavan Malreddy