Aktuelles
New Article by Matthew Sabbi on Communicating State Capacity in Ghana
Ghana’s management of the COVID-19 pandemic was seen as a remarkable story of success in Africa and beyond. Nonetheless, the government’s response efforts gave impulse to the critique of state surveillance and framed tensions between public health measures vis-à-vis individual rights and liberties. These tensions became a tipping point in the political debates for the intensely fought 2020 national elections. This chapter discusses how the government reacted and implemented public health measures nationwide. The politically charged context obliged the administration to craft a communication strategy balancing science and expert knowledge with humorous and emotional appeals in managing the health crisis. This paid off in attracting compliance with the pandemic containment measures. Subsequently, the government could resort to strategic public absences, allowing it to conduct national elections and buy time for much-needed external support for the pandemic recovery efforts. To read this article please visit: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003401681-6
21.01.2025
New Article by Matthew Sabbi on The Strategic Propping of Rwanda´s Image in International Society
Rwanda’s burnished international reputation stirs controversy given criticism of its governance system. Existing explanations prioritise Rwanda’s performance-derived legitimacy and the use of the “genocide guilt” in leveraging international scrutiny. This view creates several analytical gaps. This chapter offers sociological reasoning for Rwanda’s strategic propping of its global image. It draws on expert interviews and content analysis of relevant documents from policy, media, and grey sources. The experts engage with national policy and development cooperation goals on a daily basis. They also have background knowledge of governance. Their rich profile helps us examine Rwandan elites and their strategic blending of international norms and cultural heritage to boost and construct Rwanda’s global image. State elites craftily align Rwanda’s homegrown initiatives to its foreign policy goals as they impressively communicate adherence to international norms while highlighting their innovative virtues for local challenges. By telling their “innovative stories” elites blur inherent contradictions and compel their audience to prioritise local success over shortfalls in political governance. To read this article please visit: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003507222-7
03.12.2024
New article by team members Matthew Sabbi Anja Osei and-Ekoutiame Ahlin on local democracy and public trust
In "Minding the Local Slot: Municipalities as Drivers of Trust in Public Institutions" by Matthew Sabbi, Anja Osei, Daniel Wigmore-Shepherd, and Ekoutiamé Ahlin, the centrality of trust for democratic legitimacy and stability as advocated by political theory is considered. It holds that democracy works best if citizens trust governance institutions. From this standpoint, we argue that the local political arena is conducive to nurturing trust, for onward projection onto national institutions. Using a mixed-method approach to a Ghana case study that combines in-depth interviews with regression and a propensity score matching technique, we demonstrate the centrality of proximity as a trust-building mechanism. We show that proximity to elected officials and local institutions facilitates inclusion and participation – and brings the otherwise distant state closer to the local population. Positive experiences with municipal structures – the most proximate of all state institutions – help build positive evaluations of the national government. Processes that deepen participatory platforms and inclusive decision-making in local arenas will furnish governments with a legitimacy and democracy dividend. To read this article please visit: https://doi.org/10.1080/00083968.2024.2339490
22.11.2024
Neue Publikation von Matthew Sabbi: Eine Auseinandersetzung mit der postkolonialen Kritik an der Wissenschaft
In dem Artikel "Postkoloniale Selbstkritik–und dann? Zur Überwindung inhärenter Polarisierungen und der »epistemischen Gewalt« in der Soziologie" bieten Dieter Neubert und Matthew Sabbi (2024) eine kritische Reflexion über die Konsequenzen einer postkolonialen Selbstkritik für die Sozialwissenschaften, insbesondere für die soziologische Theorie und Forschung im deutschsprachigen Raum. Sie zeigen unter anderem aktuelle theoretische und strukturelle Ungleichheiten im Wissenschaftssystem auf. Um den Artikel zu lesen, besuchen Sie bitte: DOI: 10.5771/0340-0425-2024-2-205
23.07.2024
Vertretungsprofessur Dr. Stoll
Für das Sommersemester 2024 unterstützt uns Dr. Florian Stoll als Vertretungsprofessor. Wir freuen uns sehr darüber!
09.07.2024
Neue Publikation Matthew Sabbis
Im Sammelband "Political Science in Africa", herausgegeben von Liisa Laakso und Siphamandla Zondi in der Publikationsreihe "Africa Now", veröffentlichte Matthew Sabbi ein Kapitel mit dem Titel "Beyond disciplinary polemics? The challenge of informal structures in the study of local political institutions in Africa". In seinem Beitrag diskutiert Dr. Sabbi die Herausforderung in den Sozialwissenschaften, neo-traditionelle, informelle und demokratische Strukturen zu erforschen.
31.01.2024
Prof. Dr. Osei im Parlament Benins
Gemeinsam mit einem Team aus Forscherinnen und Forschern stellte Prof. Dr. Osei im Parlament Benins die Ergebnisse einer Studie über die Abgeordneten der achten Legislaturperiode der Nationalversammlung Benins vor. Die Studie wurde von Prof. Dr. Osei in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Innovante Recherche en Economie et Gouvernance (IREG) und Afrobarometer erstellt.
05.12.2023
Veranstaltung: Die Sicherheitspolitische Lage in der Sahelzone
Die sicherheitspolitische Lage in der Sahelzone: Perspektiven für mehr Sicherheit und Wohlstand? Am 11.12.2023 ist Prof. Dr. Anja Osei beim OSI-Club eingeladen, um gemeinsam mit Dr. Henrik Maihak und moderiert von Jean-Marie Ayikpe über die sicherheitspolitische Lage in der Sahelzone zu referieren.
05.12.2023
Comparative African Politics “Brunch” im WIntersemester 2023/24
Programme and outline Comparative African Politics “Brunch” is a less formal meeting which offers our team and invited guests a forum to discuss and exchange research ideas and ongoing research projects or papers on African politics. participants will share constructive comments on draft manuscripts, dissertation chapters, and emerging conceptual ideas that contribute to the research focus at the chair. Additionally, MA students who write their theses at the chair are openly invited to join and present progress on their research projects allowing them to receive valuable constructive feedback and suggestions from their peers and colleagues. This feedback is highly valuable in enhancing the overall quality of their work.
01.11.2023