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The State in Africa

The State in Africa. Why is the African State so…. Volatile? Weak and fragile? Corrupt? Oppressive and/or indiffernt to its citizens? Personalized—dependent on personal connections to get services, heated personalized rivalries between parties (rather than ideological differences)?.

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The State in Africa

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  1. The State in Africa

  2. Why is the African State so… • Volatile? • Weak and fragile? • Corrupt? • Oppressive and/or indiffernt to its citizens? • Personalized—dependent on personal connections to get services, heated personalized rivalries between parties (rather than ideological differences)?

  3. The rhizome state • The politics of the belly • Extraversion

  4. The African State is Rhizomatic(that is, made up of rhizomes)

  5. The Politics of the Belly • “I chop, you chop” • Politicians are like big men: their followers need to share in their prosperity; their prosperity is a sign of their political power (Rawlings) • Accusations of witchcraft • Inegalitarian and hierarchical • Why is there corruption? (Zairian air force)

  6. Extraversion of the African State • What does it mean for a person to be extraverted vs. introverted? • The African state is similarly oriented to the outside---as a source of power and resources • Some connections to pre-colonial ways that people obtain power; some connections to colonialism • More accountable to the World Bank, oil companies, etc than to its own populace

  7. Democracy • What is it?

  8. What did democratization mean in Mozambique?

  9. What are the implications from Mozambique’s story for U.S. foreign policy in promoting democracy?

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