A review of the reasons for the failure of different decentralization programmes in Ghana with reference to the link between the substance of a policy and its method of application.

Public policy is a process that evolves from a coalition of actors. In this book, the authors take us through the step-by-step process of decision making and implementation of policy initiatives in the country of Ghana.

Since it achieved independence in 1957, the West African state of Ghana has become the torchbearer of African liberation, as well as a laboratory for the study of endemic problems facing the African continent. In terms of democratic consolidation, the country holds a unique position on the continent as beacon of stability and democracy. Politics, Governance, and Development in Ghana takes critical stock of the landmark themes that have dominated its history since independence. The contributors address issues such as citizenship, civil society, the military, politicians, chiefs, transnational actors, the public sector and policies, the executive branch, decentralization, the economy, electoral politics, natural resources, and relations with Asia and the diaspora. These themes support “mobilizing for Ghana’s future,” which is the theme for the diamond jubilee celebration of Ghana’s independence. Edited by Joseph R.A. Ayee, this book will deepen the literature on studies on Ghana especially in the areas of politics, governance, economy and development; serve as a resource for academics, students, practitioners; and commemorate the diamond jubilee celebration of Ghana’s independence.

A detailed account of politics in Ghana's urban neighborhoods, providing a new way to understand African democracy and development.

Politics & the Struggle for Democracy in Ghana is a pioneering attempt to describe the Ghanaian political system, define its parameters, its structures and analyze the ups and downs of democratic transitions and the struggles thereof. The book is a good fit for students pursuing courses in political science at the university level in Ghana or studying social science at Ghanaian Senior High Schools.

Ghana has witnessed a 'revolution through the ballot box', since its return to constitutional rule in 1993. Yet this period of sustained democratic government in an era of globalization and liberal triumphalism has brought with it new demands. How has Ghana faced up to the problems of institution-building, state-market relations and democratic leadership? Can it deal with the challenges posed by security, human rights and foreign policy in the twenty-first century? This unique collection interrogates all these issues and assesses the future of the democratic experiment in one of sub-Saharan Africa's rare 'islands of peace'. In doing so, it provides an invaluable guide to Ghana's political past, present and future.