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by Ibrahim Mouiche (Author)
Beginning from the early 1990s, Africa has experienced a wave of democratization. Some of the important issues that have come to fore in this process include ethnicity, belonging and citizenship. Minority and marginalized groups have also attracted attention. This study focuses on the sociopolitical integration of ethnic minorities in the new context of democratization in Cameroon. Its main concern is the impact of multiparty system and democratization on the lives of disenfranchised social groups, especially in relation to their participation in the political arena, and the effectiveness of the associations established to defend their interests. Democracy, as part of the development imperative, can only make a positive impact if it includes institutions that are capable of guaranteeing a level playing field between the parties in power and the oppositions. Therefore, democratization can only be meaningful if it provides African countries with workable solutions to people's problems, based upon the ethics of collective responsibility in the quest for social justice and the welfare of the entire population. This is only possible if ethnic minorities, social categories (including women and children) and disenfranchised social groups have the means to influence decisions that affect their existence and protect themselves against injustice. This book is a good resource material to scholars, researchers, students and others interested in the development of democracy in Cameroon and the West African sub-region.
