Synopses & Reviews
Review
"This monumental study surveys and analyzes the attitudes of residents of 12 African countries on their support for democratization and economic reform." CHOICE"This monumental study surveys and analyzes the attitudes of residents of 12 African countries on their support for democratization and economic reform." CHOICE
Synopsis
This book is a fascinating exploration of public opinion in sub-Saharan Africa.
Table of Contents
Introduction: 1. A tale of two presidents; 2. Taking account of adjustments; 3. Setting an agenda; 4. Overview of contents; Part I. Framework: Africa's Hybrid Regimes: 5. A decade of political reforms, 1990-2001; 6. Two decades of economic reforms, 1982-2001; 7. Dual transitions: compartibilities and contradictions; 8. Demand, supply, and regime consolidation; 9. Deriving public opinion: studying public opinion in Africa; 10. Competing theories, rival hypotheses; 11. Towards a learning approach; 12. Survey research in Africa; 13. The afrobarometer: an appropriate method?; 14. A quest for comparison; Part II. Popular Attitudes to Reform: Attitudes to Democracy: 15. Understanding of democracy; 16. Support for democracy; 17. Rejection of alternative regimes; 18. Satisfaction with democracy; 19. Wide but shallow; 20. The extent of democracy: attitudes to a market economy: 21. The popular development agenda; 22. Between state and market; 23. Awareness of economic reforms; 24. Support for economic reforms; 25. Satisfaction with economic reforms; 26. Economic patience?: economic and political behavior; 27. Living standards; 28. Securing economic livelihoods; 29. Compliance and the law; 30. Varieties of political participation; 31. Defending democracy?; 32. From attitudes to behavior; Part III. Competing Explanations: The Structure of Society: 33. Demographic determinants; 34. Varieties of sub-nationalism; 35. The burden of poverty; 36. Structural models: cultural values; 37. Self-identities; 38. Interpersonal trust; 39. An emergent individualism; 40. Cultural models; awareness of public affairs; 41. The spark of education; 42. Exposure to mass media; 43. Cognitive engagement; 44. Political and economic knowledge; 45. The eye of the beholder; 46. Cognitive models: performance evaluations; 47. Evaluating the economy; 48. The corruption of the state?; 49. Assessing regime performance; 50. Grading the government; 51. A representation gap?; 52. Performance models: institutional influences; 53. Associational life; 54. Party identification: political participation; 55. Economic participation; 56. Institutional models; Part IV. Explaining Reform Constituencies: Modeling Attitudes to Reform: 57. Modeling demand for democracy; 58. Modeling the supply of democracy; 59. Modeling demand for a market economy; 60. Modeling the supply of economic reform; 61. Paths to reform: a learning process: predicting political participation; 62. Voting; 63. Protesting; 64. Communing and contacting; 64. Vote choice; 65. Defending democracy; 66. Political participation: cause or effect?: deciphering regime consolidation; 67. The effects of 'country'; 68. Demand, supply, and regime consolidation (revisited); 69. The consolidation of African political regimes; 70. The correlates of consolidation; 71. Economic versus political legacies; 72. The study of Africa; 73. Theories of social change; 74. Strategies of development.