Social Movements and Democracy in Africa : The Impact of Women's Struggles for Equal Rights in Botswana

ISBN-13: 9780415978477 / Angielski / Twarda / 2006 / 213 str.

Agnes Ngoma Leslie

Opis

This book examines social movements in Africa, analyzing how they emerge and how they may impact public policy, the legal and political situation, and the society by focusing on the following question: How do women's political and legal rights get extended and institutionalized in a patriarchal democratic society? Leslie discusse women's activism in Botswana which, despite being a leading democracy in Africa, maintained discriminatory laws and policies. The book provides a detailed theoretical analysis and measurement of the impact of women's struggle for their rights in the patriarchal democratic state of Botswana. The study analyzes the women's movement, its social protest to challenge the legislature and government to change discriminatory laws, introduce policies favorable to women, and mobilize and empower women. It also looks at how the women's movement impacted public policy, the legal and political system in Botswana. On a broader level, the book discusses how far and in what ways a social movement can contribute to the deepening of democracy.

Spis treści

Introduction  1. Situating a Social Movement in Botswana  2. Human Rights and Social Movements in Africa  3. Social Movements and the State  4. Emang Basadi in the Policy Process  5. The Impact of Emang Basadi  6. Conclusions: Social Movements in Africa

O autorze

Agnes Ngoma Leslie is a Lecturer and Outreach Director at the Center for African Studies, University of Florida, where she teaches courses in African politics, comparative politics, policy and development.