Panel 60. Social Movements in Africa

African social movements remain a neglected area of research in the social sciences. In literature on social movements as much as in literature on Africa they largely remain a blank space. Research on social movements usually focuses on Europe and the Americas. In contrast, African Studies are empirically dealing with the phenomenon, but so far have not referred to theoretical concepts from present research on social movements.

The concept of ‘social movements’ is in various central aspects different to currently predominating concepts of ‘civil society’. Against the predominating understanding of civil society, we focus on political actors in Africa that stand in opposition to the state and express themselves explicitly in a critical way. For two reasons we give preference to the term ‘social movement’ over that of ‘civil society’. Firstly, we hereby distinguish our approach from a concept of civil society as a service provider and a resource of state legitimacy. Secondly, we focus on social actors emerging around specific issues and mobilising for protest. In our conception, social movements are actors that take a critical stand towards dominant political relations. They demand more democratic participation in state policies or take them into their own hands.

The aim of the panel is to explore how far current social movements in Africa are actors situating themselves in a critical position vis-à-vis social and political domination. Which social movements do shape the political landscape of contemporary African societies? Which are the strategies they use to intervene in social debates and politics?