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Introduction: Working with the Grain? The Africa Power and Politics Programme

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  • David Booth

Abstract

At the heart of current policy thinking about Africa there is a significant knowledge gap concerning governance and development. This IDS Bulletin is concerned with what can be done about that, drawing on the initial experience of a new research venture, the Africa Power and Politics Programme. The APPP is committed to discovering forms of governance that work better for development than those prescribed by the current ‘good governance’ orthodoxy. It aims to do so chiefly by examining the range of post‐colonial experience in sub‐Saharan Africa focusing especially on under‐appreciated patterns of difference in institutions and outcomes. This article explains the rationale of this approach and outlines the options which have shaped the programme's methods and concepts. A central challenge has been operationalising the working hypothesis that institutions function better when they ‘work with the grain’ of the society which hosts them.

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  • David Booth, 2011. "Introduction: Working with the Grain? The Africa Power and Politics Programme," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 42(2), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:idsxxx:v:42:y:2011:i:2:p:1-10
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/idsb.2011.42.issue-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Laurids S. Lauridsen, 2014. "Governance and Economic Transformation in Taiwan: The Role of Politics," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 32(4), pages 427-448, July.
    2. Benjamin Chemouni, 2017. "The politics of core public sector reform in Rwanda," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-088-17, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    3. Jesse Salah Ovadia, 2018. "State‐led industrial development, structural transformation and elite‐led plunder: Angola (2002–2013) as a developmental state," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(5), pages 587-606, September.
    4. Derick W. Brinkerhoff, 2016. "Building political will for HIV response: an operational model and strategy options," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 470-487, October.
    5. Maia Green, 2012. "Co-producing ineffective states: social knowledge, social policy and social citizenship in Africa and in development," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-014-12, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    6. Deval Desai & Michael Woolcock, 2012. "The politics of rule of law systems in developmental states: 'political settlements' as a basis for promoting effective justice institutions for marginalized groups," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-008-12, GDI, The University of Manchester.
    7. Frederick Golooba-Mutebi & Sam Hickey, 2013. "Investigating the links between political settlements and inclusive development in Uganda: towards a research agenda," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-020-13, GDI, The University of Manchester.

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