The Illusion of the Post-Colonial State: Governance and Security Challenges in Africa (African Governance, Development, and Leadership)

Fawole, W. Alade

ISBN 10: 1498564623 / ISBN 13: 9781498564625

Published by Lexington Books, 2020

About this Item

pp. 254.

Seller Inventory # 383049385

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Illusion of the Post-Colonial State: Governance and Security Challenges in Africa (African Governance, Development, and Leadership)
• Publisher: Lexington Books
• Publication Date: 2020
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1498564623
• ISBN 13: 9781498564625
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

This book challenges the long-held conventional wisdom that Africa is a post-colonial society of sovereign nation-states despite the outward attributes of statehood: demarcated territories, permanent populations, governments, national currencies, police, and armed forces. While it is true that African nation-states have been gifted flag independence by their respective colonial masters, few have reached fully developed status as a secure nation-state. Most African nation-states have, since independence, been grappling with the crisis of state-building, nation-building, governance, and myriad security challenges which have been chronically exacerbated by the dynamics of the post-Cold War era. To focus merely on the agency of the African political elite and their inability to sustain functional modern nation-states misses the point. The central argument of the book is that an understanding of Africa’s contemporary governance and security challenges requires us to historicize the discourse surrounding nation-building and state-building throughout Africa.

About the Author

W. Alade Fawole is professor in the Department of International Relations, Obafemi Awolowo University.