New article on Legalised resistance to democratisation in common law Africa

Our professors Siri Gloppen and Lise Rakner are out with a highly relevant article in Third World Quaterly. In their article: “Legalised resistance to democratisation in common law Africa”, they discuss how, since the 1990s, African leaders have used legal manipulation to weaken democratic institutions. The study examines responses from pro-democracy actors in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It finds that courts in these countries have played a crucial role in preserving political debate and preventing electoral manipulation, especially in nations with strong pluralistic traditions.

“On a day when resistance to autocratisation seems particularly urgent, Lise Rakner and I are pleased that our article on "Legalized resistance to autocratisation in common law Africa" is out in Third World Quarterly” – Siri Gloppen says.

This article is part of the RightAct project (CMI)/@LawTransform) and takes further the work in the Breaking BAD: Understanding the Backlash Against Democracy in Africa-project and the book on "Democratic Backsliding in Africa?". Access the article from here.