Programmes of decentralization generally assign political and fiscal responsibilities to sub-national structures. In Africa, internationally supported decentralization programmes take on more complex local democracy and development goals. Decentralization programmes often focus on formal actors and structures despite being embedded in socio-cultural contexts and narratives. Hence, actors on the margins are taken for granted or ignored. In this course, we will discuss the concepts and promises of decentralization, the structures and main actors involved, their logic of action, and everyday practices. With cases from selected African countries, we will further discuss how actors on the margins play the rules and shape decentralization and local democracy efforts in their own ways.