This volume contains comparative studies of eight diverse African countries that aim to provide a new conceptual framework for analysis of the state of Africa.

More than ever before, the editors and contributors to this collection argue, the African state is essential for the sustainability of the long march towards political, economic, and cultural development. The essays in this book provide practical ways of assessing reform programs that are intended to enhance state effectiveness. As such, this book will be of great value not only to scholars, but also to policy makers and others concerned with the construction of a positive future for the African continent.

Prologue
Botswana: Comprehending the Exceptional State by Abdi Ismail Samatar
Transforming South African State and Society: The Challenge of Constructing a Development State by Yvonne Muthien and Gregory Houston
The Fall and Rise of the State in Ghana by Eboe hutchful
Libya, The Jamahiriyya: Historical and Social Origins of a Populist State by Ali Abdullatif Ahmida
Coping with Diversity: The Nigerian State in Historical Perspective by Abdul Raufu Mustapha
Ethiopia: State Building or Imperial Revival? by Kidane Mengisteab
Sudan: The Authoritarian State by Ahmad Alawad Sikainga
Somalia: Statelessness as Homelessness by Ahmed I. Samatar
Bibliography
Index.