Legislative Power in Emerging African Democracies

"Presents important insights that will advance understandings and future research on these critical institutions.... An unqualified success."—Peter VonDoepp, African Studies Review

"Timely and well conceived.... A much needed and impressively coherent collection that brings together some of the finest political scientists working on Africa to break new ground in the study of African politics."—Nic Cheeseman, Journal of Modern African Studies

"In method and exposition, this volume is a service to social science and policy-making.... Provides readers insight into the current state of democracies in Africa and how their individual legislative bodies can help direct the continent's future."—Harvey Glickman, ASMEA Newsletter

"A major contribution to the study of democratic institution building in developing countries, exposing the slow, complex, and halting process by which African legislatures become effective instruments of representation and accountability."—Larry Diamond, Stanford University

"This first comparative exploration of African legislatures is strongly recommended for anyone interested in the real world dynamics of institutional and democratic development. Barkan and his colleagues make a valuable contribution.... a fine piece of analysis."—Michael Bratton, Michigan State University

"This is an immensely valuable book. It provides fascinating new insights into the consequences of the reemergence of competitive politics in Africa, into the conditions under which legislative institutions have developed so variously in six different African countries, and into the general relationship between civil society and the power of legislatures."—Gerhard Loewenberg, University of Iowa