Abstract

Scholarship on ‘states in Africa’ has been evolving into a distinct field of study, with a remarkable growth of literature occurring during the 1980s and the 1990s. This growth, however, is no mere coincidence; it occurred at a time when states in Africa were widely believed to have degenerated into a condition of irredeemable decay, and the large body of literature produced was meant to diagnose the malaise. The growing incidences of insurgences in different parts of Africa are raising similar questions about the notion of statehood in Africa. This paper provides a critical review of the conceptual approaches adopted in the mainstream scholarship on states and statehood in Africa. The paper concludes that understanding statehood in Africa requires paying attention to the different political formations which shape the character of states rather than applying the ideal-type models.

Keywords: State formation, African states, Statehood, Political contestation, Political formations