RECONNECT Global "Democracy and Authoritarianism in Africa" Prof Nic Cheeseman

27 April 2021

In the 3rd lecture of our RECONNECT Global Webinar Series: "Democratic and Rule of Law Backsliding. Causes, Consequences and Prospects from around the World," Prof Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham, takes stock of developments with regard to democratic backsliding on the African continent.

Media headlines suggest that Africa is lapsing back into authoritarianism. But a systematic evaluation of the continent reveals relatively modest levels of overall change in democratic performance in recent years, with positive developments in some countries cancelling out negatives ones in others. However, the combination of economic downturn due to COVID-19, growing debt, and a lack of international focus on protecting democracy bode ill for 2021 and future years. This is important because recent research demonstrates that on average democracies perform better not only on human rights but also in terms of economic growth, human development and corruption. Professor Cheeseman draws on recent publications, his own research in Kenya, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and data from V-DEM, Freedom House and BTI to make this argument.

Видео RECONNECT Global "Democracy and Authoritarianism in Africa" Prof Nic Cheeseman канала RECONNECT Europe