African States Since Independence

“ A solid, thorough, and honestly accessible overview of orthodox scholarship to date. . . . This is a truly informative book. It has a breadth and depth that I have not seen in . . . comparable books.”—Derick Becker, H-Net Reviews

"An impressive achievement--a bold, highly original, and coherent account of the political and economic failures of post-independence sub-Saharan Africa and its prospects for a better future, which will appeal to a wide variety of audiences with differing levels of knowledge."—Nelson Kasfir, Dartmouth College

"This is the first book to provide a rich integration of the history of Africa since independence with the relevant social science theory and evidence. It will decisively shape the way we think about the continent from now on."—James Robinson, University of Chicago

"African States Since Independence is the kind of book that my students have been requesting for years. It provides an excellent introduction to African politics while at the same time covering new ideas and debates in sufficient depth that even the most expert among us can learn a lot. It is a wonderful resource for students and lovers of Africa—both those who are just discovering the continent and those who have worked on it for 20 years."—Séverine Autesserre, author of Peaceland and The Trouble with the Congo