In citizens’ assessments, most African police forces come up short Matthias Krönke, Thomas Isbell, and Makanga Ronald Kakumba - March 22, 2024 From protests to traffic stops, negative experiences often mark the public’s views of police professionalism.
Why the Gaza hostage crisis is different Danielle Gilbert - October 13, 2023 What we know about Hamas hostage-taking and Israel’s hostage recovery policy.
African politics in 2022: More than coups and conflict Laura Seay and Kim Yi Dionne - December 29, 2022 The TMC 2022 roundups: African politics
West Africa’s new regional peacekeeping force, explained Kim Yi Dionne - December 12, 2022 ECOWAS, the Economic Community of West African States, engages in more than just economic activities. How will it implement the new initiative?
Why are people in West Africa waving Russian flags? Aoife McCullough - October 28, 2022 Russian propaganda has a wide reach. Here’s what else is boosting pro-Russian sentiment.
Can ECOWAS convince Burkina Faso to return to civilian rule? Madeline Fleishman and Jori Breslawski - October 14, 2022 Afrobarometer polls show strong support for the regional economic bloc. But protesters in Burkina Faso pushed back against ECOWAS diplomacy efforts.
‘Islamic State in Africa’ explores nine militant Islamist groups Dan Eizenga - July 14, 2022 This book takes a comprehensive look at the rise of Islamic State affiliates operating on the continent
Can Africa ‘leapfrog’ the traditional electricity model? Kangwook Han and Carolyn Logan - April 21, 2022 Slow progress on national power grids leaves many households looking to off-grid sources
How this wave of African coups differs from previous ones Maggie Dwyer and Erica De Bruin - February 25, 2022 To maintain power, military leaders are likely to turn to elections
Africa has had eight coup attempts in recent months. What’s behind the ‘coup epidemic’? Kristen A. Harkness - February 8, 2022 How leaders consolidate their power helps explain why soldiers depose governments.
Burkina Faso’s coup makers capitalized on wider grievances within the ranks Maggie Dwyer - January 28, 2022 But the new military leadership may find it difficult to meet soldiers’ demands for more support in the fight against Islamist militants
Is Africa losing ground in the battle for water and sanitation? Daniel Armah-Attoh - January 27, 2022 Afrobarometer surveys show citizens expect their governments to do more
Are coups really contagious? Salah Ben Hammou and Jonathan Powell - November 21, 2021 The international reaction to a coup attempt may matter more than you think
Long-serving African presidents say the people want them to stay on. Is that true? Boniface Dulani - November 4, 2021 The third in Afrobarometer’s special democracy summit series on Africa.
Across Latin America, citizens and governments are clashing over their countries’ authoritarian pasts Michael Albertus - July 8, 2021 Here’s what that looks like on the ground
As refugee numbers rise, many countries want to shut them out for security concerns Sara M.T. Polo and Julian Wucherpfennig - June 21, 2021 What the data reveal on the link between hosting refugees and risks of terrorist attacks from foreign groups
What would bring stability after the death of Chad’s president? Daniel Eizenga - June 1, 2021 Neighboring countries have successfully managed political change without the military stepping in
Africans find it hard to learn what their governments are up to. It’s no surprise many suspect corruption. Joseph Asunka and Carolyn Logan - May 20, 2021 The lack of transparency affects people’s views of government, Afrobarometer surveys find
Benin’s militant problem may worsen after last month’s election Christina Cottiero - May 3, 2021 The government focused on weeding out political opponents in recent years, rather than combating extremist and criminal groups
Africa launched its free trade zone in January. Here’s what Africans think about economic integration. Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny and Jaynisha Patel - March 25, 2021 Protectionism ranks high with many Africans, new survey results show
Africans want elections, but fewer believe they work Mavis Zupork Dome and Fredline M'Cormack-Hale - February 11, 2021 Faith in electoral accountability has declined in the past decade
Coronavirus crisis tests social bonds in Africa Luyando Mutale Katenda, Carolyn Logan, and Aminatou Seydou - December 17, 2020 The latest Afrobarometer surveys find evidence of both unity and discrimination in 18 African countries
Africans are embracing digital media, but they’re wary of the downsides Joseph Koné and Jeffrey Conroy-Krutz - December 3, 2020 Afrobarometer surveys also reveal that there’s still a digital divide
Ivory Coast reelected its president. Opposition candidates boycotted the voting. Tyson Roberts - December 2, 2020 The election reflected political rivalries that date back 30 years.
U.S.-China competition may be a win-win for Africa Naunihal Singh, Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, and E. Gyimah-Boadi - November 19, 2020 Afrobarometer surveys find many Africans approve of U.S. and Chinese investment in the continent.
Nigerians are protesting police abuses. How do citizens of other African countries view the police? Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny and Brian Howard - November 5, 2020 Afrobarometer surveys reveal where people are less likely to trust the police
Presidents who threaten election violence lose votes Stephanie Burchard - November 2, 2020 What can research on Africa tell us about the U.S.?
Guinea’s president claims he won reelection. Thousands of Guineans disagree. Lisa Mueller - October 30, 2020 Electoral protests in Africa rarely end up ousting an incumbent who defies term limits
5 ways the coronavirus is making the world’s most vulnerable a lot more vulnerable Chen Reis - May 18, 2020 More people will need help — but wealthier nations may have less to give
Many Africans distrust their governments. How will that affect their coronavirus response? E. Gyimah-Boadi and Carolyn Logan - May 1, 2020 How governments handle the pandemic — whether with compassion or corruption — will influence attitudes for years to come.
How can African governments persuade citizens to follow coronavirus guidelines? Allison Grossman - April 17, 2020 The right messengers matter
African women have less access to the Internet than African men do. That’s a problem. Dominique Dryding, Carmen Alpin Lardies, and Carolyn Logan - March 5, 2020 On International Women’s Day, let’s consider whether all women are advancing equally.
African countries are opening their borders. What does this mean for security, identity and trade? Lisa Mueller and Abhit Bhandari - August 12, 2019 People support free trade, but there are other bonds.
How will the African Union respond to the military overthrow in Sudan? Emmanuel Balogun and Anna Mwaba - April 24, 2019 It has not responded consistently to unconstitutional changes in government.
Recent protests in Sudan are much more than bread riots Zachariah Mampilly and Nisrin Elamin - December 28, 2018 [caption id="attachment_82007" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People chanted slogans during a protest
Ebola is back — and a threat to people in Congo. Are African public health systems ready? Emmanuel Balogun and Amy Patterson - September 27, 2018 [caption id="attachment_78280" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A health worker in protective gear
Xi Jinping pledged $60 billion for Africa. Where will the money go? Winslow Robertson and Lina Benabdallah - September 17, 2018 [caption id="attachment_77825" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chinese President Xi Jinping stands with
Are protests in Africa politically or economically motivated? This new book has answers. Kim Yi Dionne - August 24, 2018 [caption id="attachment_77099" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Protesters surround a bonfire on a
Four things you should know about mutinies Kim Yi Dionne - June 15, 2018 [caption id="attachment_74566" align="aligncenter" width="5028"] Soldiers guard a checkpoint in Gwoza, Nigeria,
Without Mugabe, is democracy coming to Zimbabwe? Probably not. Kristen Harkness - November 22, 2017 On Tuesday, after 37 years of authoritarian rule, Robert Mugabe
The odds of a military coup in Venezuela are going up. But coups can sometimes lead to democracy Ozan Varol - November 15, 2017 [caption id="attachment_66271" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A man holds the new 100,000-bolivar
The same family has ruled Togo for 50 years. Will widespread protests change that? Joel Amegboh and Alexander Noyes - September 30, 2017 [caption id="attachment_64299" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Protesters call for reforms during an
Three important lessons from a new book on female genital cutting in Kenya Kim Yi Dionne - August 18, 2017 [caption id="attachment_62577" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] A 14-year-old girl in Burkina Faso
How much have development strategies changed in Africa since independence? It depends. Landry Signé and Kim Yi Dionne - July 28, 2017 [caption id="attachment_61539" align="aligncenter" width="760"] Ibrahim Hassane Mayaki (left), former prime
60 years later, are colonial-era laws holding Africa back? Ryan Briggs and Maya Berinzon - January 20, 2017 [caption id="attachment_52661" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Ghana's President Nana Akufo-Addo, left, takes
Donald Trump’s team has questions about China in Africa. Here are answers. Janet Eom - January 16, 2017 [caption id="attachment_52561" align="aligncenter" width="960"] A giant inflatable rooster, widely perceived
The events in Ivory Coast last week were a textbook case of mutiny Maggie Dwyer - January 10, 2017 [caption id="attachment_52296" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Soldiers involved in a mutiny on
Here’s how African leaders stage ‘constitutional coups’: They tweak the constitution to stay in power. Kamissa Camara - September 16, 2016 [caption id="attachment_46354" align="aligncenter" width="960"] People wait outside a polling station
Africa’s largest public-opinion survey is under threat, but here’s what you can do about it E. Gyimah-Boadi and Carolyn Logan - September 9, 2016 [caption id="attachment_46038" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] An Afrobarometer interviewer conducts a survey
Violent protests have erupted in Mali. Here’s what is driving them. Kamissa Camara - August 15, 2016 [caption id="attachment_45253" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Young people protest in Bamako in
The opposite of Brexit: African Union launches an all-Africa passport Anne Frugé - July 1, 2016 [caption id="attachment_38201" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Africa, from space. (NASA)[/caption] On June
This is what the conviction of Chad’s former dictator means for African human rights Elise Keppler - June 10, 2016 [caption id="attachment_41896" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Chad's former dictator Hissène Habré raises
36 years after Zimbabwe’s independence, the country faces these 4 big questions Brooks Marmon - April 28, 2016 [caption id="attachment_39777" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his
4 things you should know about Niger’s recent elections Lisa Mueller and Lukas Matthews - April 17, 2016 [caption id="attachment_39161" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A banner of Niger's newly elected
Benin has a new president: Patrice Talon, an ironic outsider politician Claire Adida and Chabi Bouko - April 13, 2016 [caption id="attachment_38970" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Benin's newly elected President Patrice Talon
It’s a #SuperSunday in Africa, with elections being held in Benin, Cape Verde, Congo, Niger, Senegal and Zanzibar Kim Yi Dionne - March 20, 2016 [caption id="attachment_37537" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A woman looks at the list
6 things you need to know about Côte d’Ivoire in the wake of Sunday’s attack Justine Davis and Carrie Reiling - March 15, 2016 [caption id="attachment_37196" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A soldier comforts an injured boy
The upcoming Niger election and the drama surrounding it, explained Lisa Mueller and Lukas Matthews - February 17, 2016 [caption id="attachment_35758" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A picture taken on Feb. 2,
Who is Laurent Gbagbo, and why is he on trial at the ICC? Oumar Ba - February 3, 2016 [caption id="attachment_35256" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Former Côte d'Ivoire president Laurent Gbagbo
The U.S. can’t fight terrorists in Africa. So guess what it does instead. Charles Thomas - February 1, 2016 [caption id="attachment_35026" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A crashed MQ-9 Reaper drone seen
As Niger prepares for elections, it’s concerned about security. Should it be? Lisa Mueller - January 28, 2016 [caption id="attachment_34824" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Terrace at Hotel le Sahel, Niamey,
Five challenges facing Burkina Faso’s new president (and 3 reasons for optimism) Arsène Bado - January 22, 2016 [caption id="attachment_34418" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Burkina Faso's President Roch Marc Christian
Taking stock of Burkina Faso’s democracy after al-Qaeda attack Leonardo Villalón and Daniel Eizenga - January 21, 2016 [caption id="attachment_34600" align="aligncenter" width="908"] French and Burkinabe officers inspect burned
How the world is proving Martin Luther King right about nonviolence Maria Stephan and Erica Chenoweth - January 18, 2016 [caption id="attachment_34516" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Yemeni activist Tawakkol Karman (right, white
Why donors demand immediate elections after unrest in developing countries Haley Swedlund - December 11, 2015 [caption id="attachment_33368" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Supporters of President-elect Roch Marc Kabore
Burkina Faso elections mark turning point in country’s recent political turmoil Daniel Eizenga - December 6, 2015 On Nov. 29, Burkina Faso held presidential and legislative elections
The most interesting thing about Côte d’Ivoire’s election was that it wasn’t interesting Tyson Roberts - November 26, 2015 [caption id="attachment_32664" align="aligncenter" width="908"] People line up outside a polling station
This is what you need to know about xenophobia and this Sunday’s elections in Côte d’Ivoire. Koffi Yao-Kouamé and Beth Whitake - October 19, 2015 [caption id="attachment_30820" align="aligncenter" width="982"] This photo taken on October 27,
Here’s how you bring down a ‘strongman’ government (without a civil war) Daniel Eizenga - October 15, 2015 [caption id="attachment_30669" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Peaceful mass protests defeated a coup
A new project wants to forecast mass killings before they happen. Here’s how. John Sides - September 24, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27291" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Muslim woman visits the Potocari
A new project wants to forecast mass killings before they happen. Here's how. John Sides - September 24, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27291" align="aligncenter" width="908"] A Muslim woman visits the Potocari
What went wrong in Burkina Faso and what’s next? Landry Signé - September 22, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29717" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Lt. Col. Mamadou Bamba announced the
What went wrong in Burkina Faso and what's next? - September 22, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29717" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Lt. Col. Mamadou Bamba announced the
Can Burkina Faso — Africa’s most coup-prone state — become a stable democracy? Molly Ariotti and Naunihal Singh - September 21, 2015 [caption id="attachment_29688" align="aligncenter" width="908"] Men ride a motorcycle past a
Crafting a new constitution doesn't necessarily lead to democracy. Here's what does. - August 19, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28684" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Here's what does not necessarily lead
Crafting a new constitution doesn’t necessarily lead to democracy. Here’s what does. Todd Eisenstadt, Tofigh Maboudi, and Carl LeVan - August 19, 2015 [caption id="attachment_28684" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] Here's what does not necessarily lead
State subsidies take from the poor to give to the rich Neil Abrams and Steven Fish - July 16, 2015 [caption id="attachment_27484" align="aligncenter" width="1484"] (AP)[/caption] What’s the worst thing
‘Protest is always hopeful’: Examining the third wave of popular protest in Africa Zachariah Mampilly, Kim Yi Dionne, and Adam Branch - June 12, 2015 [caption id="attachment_25936" align="alignnone" width="620" class="align center"] People waving branches celebrate
'Protest is always hopeful': Examining the third wave of popular protest in Africa - June 12, 2015 [caption id="attachment_25936" align="alignnone" width="620" class="align center"] People waving branches celebrate
Taking stock of ‘good coups’ in Africa Sebastian Elischer - May 18, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24939" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Boys walk behind patrolling soldiers in
Taking stock of 'good coups' in Africa - May 18, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24939" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Boys walk behind patrolling soldiers in
Did Burundi just have a ‘good coup’? Alexander Noyes - May 14, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24803" align="alignnone" width="620" class="align center"] Celebratory crowds poured into
Did Burundi just have a 'good coup'? - May 14, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24803" align="alignnone" width="620" class="align center"] Celebratory crowds poured into
Burundi Faso? Coups, revolutions and what's next for Burundi Laura Seay - May 13, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24792" align="alignnone" width="620" class="center"] People waving branches celebrate in
Burundi Faso? Coups, revolutions and what’s next for Burundi Stephanie Schwartz, Cara Jones, and Alies Rijper - May 13, 2015 [caption id="attachment_24792" align="alignnone" width="620" class="center"] People waving branches celebrate in
Most Togolese support term limits. But they just re-elected their president for a third term. Tyson Roberts, Ekoutiamé Ahlin, and Kim Yi Dionne - May 4, 2015 Continuing our series of Election Reports, the following is a
Are African peacekeepers prone to mutiny? Maggie Dwyer - March 25, 2015 [caption id="attachment_23071" align="aligncenter" width="620"] An African Union (AU) peacekeeper walks
Are efforts to limit presidential power in Africa working? Beatty Riedl - February 16, 2015 [caption id="attachment_21266" align="alignnone" width="620"] A campaign poster for incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan
Gambia’s longtime dictator isn’t going anywhere any time soon Jeffrey Smith and Alexander Noyes - February 4, 2015 [caption id="attachment_20875" align="alignnone" width="620"] FILE: Gambian President Yahya Jammeh during
The most popular Monkey Cage posts in 2014 Kim Yi Dionne - December 31, 2014 2014 was Monkey Cage's first full calendar year at The
Burkina Faso and the growing vulnerability of autocrats to revolt Erica Frantz and Andrea Kendall-Taylor - November 12, 2014 [caption id="attachment_17975" align="alignnone" width="620"] Troops face protestors on October 30,
Four reasons why Burkina Faso’s long-ruling dictator fell Landry Signé - November 10, 2014 [caption id="attachment_17927" align="aligncenter" width="512"] Former President of Burkina Faso, Blaise
Vibrant democracies emerging from power vacuums give hope for Burkina Faso Beatty Riedl - November 5, 2014 [caption id="attachment_17760" align="alignnone" width="620"] Opposition supporters, one holding up a
The fall of the hegemon in Burkina Faso Molly Ariotti - November 4, 2014 [caption id="attachment_17654" align="alignnone" width="620"] Opposition supporters, one holding up a
Burkina Faso: Leading a wave or joining the club? David Stasavage - November 3, 2014 [caption id="attachment_17553" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Burkina Faso's Lt. Col. Yacouba Isaac
Burkina Faso’s uprising part of an ongoing wave of African protests Zachariah Mampilly - November 2, 2014 In 1984, a year after coming to power at the
As thousands protest against term limit extension in Burkina Faso, will other African presidents take note? Ken Opalo - October 28, 2014 On Tuesday, protesters in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso’s second city,
Why the deal to pay Brazil $300 million just to keep U.S. cotton subsidies is bad for the WTO, poor countries, and U.S. taxpayers Krzysztof Pelc - October 12, 2014 [caption id="attachment_16699" align="aligncenter" width="605"] The U.S. prefers to pay $300
Financing Africa’s democratic opposition Leonardo Arriola - July 18, 2014 [caption id="attachment_13122" align="alignnone" width="620"] African Presidents and Head of States
Request for Election Reports Authors Joshua Tucker - September 4, 2012 Some exciting news regarding our Election Reports series: we have