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Archive for May, 2011

Nigeria’s Oil Reform Bill and Democracy’s Dividends

The new Tug-of-War Over Oil Sector Reform For months, a coalition of civil society groups has been urging passage of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).  Early drafts of the legislation promised to increase transparency, for example by expanding compliance with “Publish What You Pay.”  CSOs are now concerned that if the bill is not passed [...]

May 9, 2011 · admin · No Comments
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• FEATURED RESEARCH: “Questioning Tocqueville in Africa”

  "Questioning Tocqueville in Africa: Continuity and Change in Civil society During Nigeria’s Democratization"

  Alexis de Tocqueville's influence on the democratization literature has encouraged the idea that transitions require an independent civil society. However this view reifies boundaries between state and society, and it over-predicts civil society confrontation with governments. Drawing upon Hegel, I develop a model that clusters organizations according to goal orientation and autonomy. I then examine civil society during Nigeria’s democratization. I attribute changes in autonomy and goal orientation of organizations to transnational organizing, coalition building, and repression. My findings question the assumption that autonomous organizations will challenge the state.

  (This article appears in the February 2011 issue of Democratization, vol. 18, no. 1)