Civility, Incivility and Democratization: The Politics of Civil Society In Africa

Event Details

Robert Fatton, the author of numerous books on South Africa, discusses civil society in Africa. First he discusses the destabilizing effect of class conceptions on political developments throughout Africa. He continues to discuss the damage various political predators have inflicted upon many African civil societies. Fatton laments that the combined effect of poor economies and the absence of a viable middle class in much of Africa, continue to impede the democratization process. He concludes by addresses the problems involved with subordinating the military to civilian control. During the questioning session, Fatton examines the colonial legacy in Africa, Haitian politics, ethnicity in Africa, inter-African relations, and African dependency on aid.