Brokering Democracy in Africa: The Rise of Clientelist Democracy in Senegal

This book analyzes the complex and varied relationship between clientelism and democracy in Africa. While democratization in Africa has been hampered by the persistent legacy of neo-patrimonialism, its impact on political competition and participation has varied dramatically both between and within countries. Focusing on Senegal as a critical case, the study compares the nature of clientelist networks in three different case studies in Senegal, as well as the ex-patriot community in the United States, in order to demonstrate the variable impact of clientelism on political reform, the prospects for a clientelist form of democracy, and its implication for the consolidation of democracy in Africa.

About the Author:
Linda J. Beck is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Maine at Farmington