This book gives voice to the representatives of various social science disciplines who use the expression 'actor in politics' according to the requirements of their respective approaches. They nevertheless arrive at an interesting and, to a great extent, impressive unity in diversity. What the book shows is the encounter of African actors and their agency with external actors and factors. Another connection uniting the contributions is the fact that they address the impact political actors outside the official or formal domain can and do exert on the respective societies. Informal politics...