Violence in African elections : between democracy and Big Man politics

Multiparty elections have become the bellwether by which all democracies are judged, and the spread of these systems across Africa has been widely hailed as a sign of the continent’s progress towards stability and prosperity. But such elections bring their own challenges, particularly the often intense internecine violence following disputed results.While the consequences of such violence can be profound, undermining the legitimacy of the democratic process and in some cases plunging countries into civil war or renewed dictatorship, little is known about the causes. By mapping, analysing and comparing instances of election violence in different localities across Africa – including Kenya, Ivory Coast and Uganda – this collection of detailed case studies sheds light on the underlying dynamics and sub-national causes behind electoral conflicts, revealing them to be the result of a complex interplay between democratisation and the older, patronage-based system of ‘Big Man’ politics. Essential for scholars and policymakers across the social sciences and humanities interested in democratization, peace-keeping and peace studies, Violence in African Elections provides important insights into why some communities prove more prone to electoral violence than others, offering practical suggestions for preventing violence through improved electoral monitoring, voter education, and international assistance.CONTENTS: Introduction: The Everyday Politics of Electoral Violence in Africa / Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs -- 1. Ethnic Politics and Elite Competition: The Roots of Electoral Violence in Kenya / Hanne Fjelde and Kristine Höglund -- 2. Wielding the Stick Again: The Rise and Fall and Rise of State Violence during Presidential Elections in Uganda / Anders Sjögren -- 3. Land Conflict and Electoral Violence in Côte d’Ivoire: A Micro-Level Analysis / Matthew I. Mitchell -- 4. The Geography of Violence in Burundi’s 2015 Elections / Willy Nindorera and Jesper Bjarnesen -- 5. Competition, Uncertainty, and Violence in Sierra Leone’s Swing District / Ibrahim Bangura and Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs -- 6. Ex-Militants and Electoral Violence in Nigeria’s Niger Delta / Tarila Marclint Ebiede -- 7. The Winner Takes It All: Post-war Rebel Networks, Big Man Politics and the Threat of Violence in the 2011 Liberian Elections / Mariam Bjarnesen -- 8. Parasitic Politics: Violence, Deception, and Change in Kenya's Electoral Politics / Jacob Rasmussen -- 9. Eclectic Ties and Election Touts: Chipangano’s Cyclic Governance Agenda in Mbare, Zimbabwe / Tariro Mutongwizo -- 10. Patronage Politics and Electoral Violence in Lagos, Nigeria: Understanding the Micro-Level Dynamics / Daniel E. Agbiboa -- 11. 'Once They All Pick their Guns You Can Have Your Way': Campaigning and Talking about Violence in Northern Ghana / Afra Schmitz -- Conclusions: Beyond Democracy and Big Men Politics / Jesper Bjarnesen and Mimmi Söderberg Kovacs