Associational Life in African Cities

Abstract

The book edited by Tostensen, Tvedten and Vaa comprises 17 chapters including a comprehensive introduction by the three editors. The main thrust of the book is to analyse the great range of voluntary associations which have emerged in urban Africa in response to the urban crisis. Many of the contributions also point to the general inability and incompetence of urban governments, both at the local and central levels, to address the urban problem. Case studies are drawn from locations in 15 countries, although the geographical emphasis is biased in favour of examples from the sub-Saharan region.

Keywords:

• urban areas
• urban voluntary associations
• civil society
• popular responses to crisis
• Africa