Political Protest in Contemporary Africa

'In this innovative and elegantly written book, Lisa Mueller brings class analysis back to the study of African politics. Based on sophisticated quantitative methods and extensive fieldwork, often in under-studied countries, she weaves together a new model of protest that distinguishes the motivations and actions of protest organizers and participants. Enlightening!' Pierre Englebert, Pomona College, California 'Mueller's timely book provides a lucid framework for understanding mass protests across Africa. Drawing a bold distinction between middle class leaders and working class joiners, Mueller explains how political protests happen and why they fail to deliver results for the poor and unemployed. Mueller is right to bring class back as an analytic tool.' Alice J. Kang, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 'A useful update on the changing social context driving popular uprisings in Africa. Mueller argues that unequal growth produces both mass economic anxiety and a politically frustrated middle class. In this acutely observed book, she probes the cross-class protest alliances whose demands for change are as much about economic opportunity as democracy. Recommended.' Michael Bratton, Michigan State University 'This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Africa's ongoing third wave of protest. Combining on the ground interviews with sophisticated social scientific analysis, Mueller convincingly shows how class shapes protest dynamics. Beautifully written and compellingly argued, Political Protest in Contemporary Africa is a deep dive into the internal dynamics of some of Africa's most transformative social movements.' Zachariah Mampilly, Vassar College, New York 'Lisa Mueller's excellent study of protest politics in Africa will no doubt prove to be the standard text on the topic. Based on fascinating primary source materials in several countries, and framed in a careful sociological understanding of the different motivations for protest across social classes, her book forces us to rethink our understanding of contentious politics in Africa.' Nicolas van de Walle, Cornell University, New York 'In this innovative and elegantly written book, Lisa Mueller brings class analysis back to the study of African politics. Based on sophisticated quantitative methods and extensive fieldwork, often in under-studied countries, she weaves together a new model of protest that distinguishes the motivations and actions of protest organizers and participants. Enlightening!' Pierre Englebert, Pomona College, California 'Mueller's timely book provides a lucid framework for understanding mass protests across Africa. Drawing a bold distinction between middle class leaders and working class joiners, Mueller explains how political protests happen and why they fail to deliver results for the poor and unemployed. Mueller is right to bring class back as an analytic tool.' Alice J. Kang, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 'A useful update on the changing social context driving popular uprisings in Africa. Mueller argues that unequal growth produces both mass economic anxiety and a politically frustrated middle class. In this acutely observed book, she probes the cross-class protest alliances whose demands for change are as much about economic opportunity as democracy. Recommended.' Michael Bratton, Michigan State University 'This book is essential reading for anyone interested in Africa's ongoing third wave of protest. Combining on the ground interviews with sophisticated social scientific analysis, Mueller convincingly shows how class shapes protest dynamics. Beautifully written and compellingly argued, Political Protest in Contemporary Africa is a deep dive into the internal dynamics of some of Africa's most transformative social movements.' Zachariah Mampilly, Vassar College, New York 'Lisa Mueller's excellent study of protest politics in Africa will no doubt prove to be the standard text on the topic. Based on fascinating primary source materials in several countries, and framed in a careful sociological understanding of the different motivations for protest across social classes, her book forces us to rethink our understanding of contentious politics in Africa.' Nicolas van de Walle, Cornell University, New York