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Election Observation at a Crossroads
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Description
This groundbreaking collection offers the first book-length contribution to ongoing debates around how election observation can best support genuine democratic elections in Africa.
In a three-part structure covering international observers, their domestic counterparts, and the consequences of observation, the chapters of Election Observation at a Crossroads draw on a range of methodologies rooted in deep, field-based research to offer detailed looks at election observation in ten African countries. All of this is articulated by predominantly African country-experts hailing from a variety of disciplinary and professional backgrounds, all of whom are gathered together by Thomas Molony, one of very few academics with extensive work experience of election observation in Africa.
This variety of coverage and perspectives, combined with the book's various methodologies, sheds new light on concerning shifts in the relationship between African organisations and their Western counterparts, on questions over the credibility and independence of citizen observation groups, and on assumptions about the influence of election observation on democracy in Africa. Cumulatively, these insights add up to important, unique contributions to ongoing debates about the neo-imperial dimensions of international election observation, not just within Africa, but also in other parts of the Global South.
For its sole focus on Africa, its broad geographical coverage within Africa, and its significance for wider debates around international election observation, Election Observation at a Crossroads: Perspectives from Africa is a must-read for students, researchers, and policymakers interested in African politics and development, as well as for those interested in African studies, development, and politics and international relations more generally.
Table of Contents
Contributors
List of Figures and Tables
Abbreviations
Introduction: Election Observation and the State of Democracy: Current Perspectives from Africa
Thomas Molony
Chapter 1. Reconceptualizing the International Election Observation Paradigm: From Ad Hocism to Institutionalization
Koffi Sawyer
Chapter 2. Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zimbabwe: The Politics of International Election Observation by the African Union and the Southern African Development Community
Anna Kapambwe Mwaba
Chapter 3. Zimbabwe: Diplomatic Relations and International Election Observation
Kgalalelo Nganje
Chapter 4. Angola: The Jiku Citizen Election Observation Initiative in a Post-War Authoritarian Setting
Claudia Generoso de Almeida
Chapter 5. Kenya: Professionals, Part-Timers, Pop-Ups and Partisans: A '4 Ps' Typology to Help Explain the Proliferation of Citizen Observers
Thomas Molony
Chapter 6. Kenya: Election Observation, Misinformation and Electoral Integrity: Evidence from the Election Observation Group's Communications
Morgan Wack, Kevin Mudavadi and Madeline Jalbert
Chapter 7. Nigeria: Election Observers as Gatekeepers of Electoral Legitimacy
Afolabi Adekaiyaoja
Chapter 8. Liberia: Election Observers as Guardians of the Electoral Process
Fortune Agbele
Chapter 9. Somaliland: Reflections on the Role of International Observation
Michael Walls
Chapter 10. Zambia: The Limited Influence of Observer Statements on Public Opinion
Robert Macdonald
Chapter 11. After Election Day: Do International Observer Missions Improve African Elections in the Long Term?
Eloïse Bertrand, Susan Dodsworth and Jamie Hitchen
Conclusion: Enhancing Future Election Observation in Africa: Information, Credibility and Synergy
Thomas Molony
Index
Product details
| Published | Oct 16 2025 |
|---|---|
| Format | Hardback |
| Edition | 1st |
| Extent | 256 |
| ISBN | 9781350439429 |
| Imprint | Zed Books |
| Dimensions | 9 x 6 inches |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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