Power Dynamics and Agency in the Policy Space: How Coordinated Actions by Power-conscious Citizens Shape Policy Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa?
Keywords:
Power Dynamics; Participation; Policy Space; Policy Making; Agency; Civil Society Organization (CSOS); State; Sub-Saharan Africa
Abstract
It has become commonplace for states throughout Africa, as it is elsewhere, to work with CSOs on several projects in various policy sectors. This engagement of the state with CSOs is referred to as participatory governance. The works of academics and scholars on participation frequently focused on, inter alia, power, policy, agency, organization, and benefits, with a view to highlight the connections between these factors. To contribute to examine participation in policy making by CSOs in sub-Saharan Africa, this paper asks the following question. Power dynamics and agency in the policy space: How coordinated actions by power-conscious citizens shape policy participation in Sub-Saharan Africa? While acknowledging the influence of a host of factors on participatory policy making in Sub-Saharan Africa, our paper focuses on the relationships between power dynamics and agency in the policy space by CSOs, with a view to highlight the way their interplay may shape access to policy making for citizens. Using a documentary analysis, the paper extracts and aggregates relevant data, and then analyzes them. CSOs, the paper came up with, use coalition formation by networking with others to put pressure on state, use familiarity with policy cycle to navigate their way through the policy making process, and resort to expertise in the policy sector to make contributions.
References
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North, 1990 Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance Cambridge University Press
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Report No. 32538-GLB Engaging Civil Society Organizations in Conflict Affected and Fragile States Three African Country Case Studies June 28, 2005 Social Development Department Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Document of the World Bank
Riddell, R. C. (2007). Does Foreign Aid Really Work? Oxford University Press
Rigon, A. 2014 Participation of people living in poverty in policy making Lessons for implementation of post-2015 COFOD Just One World
Salamon, L.M., Sokolowski, S.W. and List, R. (2003) Global Civil Society: An Overview. Center for Civil Society Studies, Institute for Policy Studies, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Smidt, H. 2018 Shrinking Civic Space in Africa: When Governments Crack Down on Civil Society GIGA Focus Africa Number 4 ISSN 1862-3603
Schneider, H.1999 Participatory Governance: The Missing Link for Poverty Reduction OECD Development Centre Policy Brief No. 17
Sogge, D. 2004, Give and Take. What's the Matter with Foreign Aid? Global Issues
Sutcliffe, S. & Court, J. 2006A toolkit for progressive policymakers in developing countries. London: Overseas Development Institute
Taylor-Powell, H. & Renner, M. 2003 Analyzing Qualitative Data Program Development & Evaluation University of Wisconsin
The Roles of Civil Society in African Union decision making processes: agenda setters, participants, collaborators and shapers? - Special Research Report Amani Africa media and research service
The Role of Civil Society in Policy Formulation and Service Provision Report of the UNRISD Geneva 2000 Seminar New York, 31 March 2000
Understanding The Role Of Civil Society Research In Influencing Government Policies Towards Fair Tax Systems In Africa NOVEMBER 2021
Van Schoor, J. 2023 What are Power Dynamics? The South African College of Applied Psychology
Van der Waldt, G. & Du Toit D. F. P. 1999 Managing for Excellence in the Public Sector Juta and Company Ltd 474 pages
Van Wesell, M. 2018 Navigating possibilities of collaboration How representative roles of diverse CSOs take shape A literature review
Weber, M. (1978). Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Aberbach, J.D. 2014 Power Consciousness: A Comparative Analysis Published online by Cambridge University Press
Agrawal, A. & Gibson, C. 1999 Enchantment and Disenchantment: The Role of Community in Natural Resource Conservation World Development Volume 27, Issue 4, April 1999, Pages 629-649
Anderson, A.B. 1975 Policy Experiments: Selected Analytic Issues Sage Journals
Baccus, I. & Hicks, J. 2018 Civil Society and Participatory Policy Making in South Africa: gaps and opportunities New South African Review 2
Banovetz, J.M. 1972. Public Participation in Local Government. Studies in Comparative Local Government. 6:54.
Beetham, D. 1999 Democracy and Human Rights. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Böcher, M. & Krott, M. 2016 Science Makes the World Go Round. Successful Scientific Knowledge Transfer for the Environment
Bratton, M. & van de Walle, N. 1997 Democratic experiments in Africa: regime transitions in comparative perspective Cambridge University Press
Brouwers, R. 2011 The Power of Civil Society When ‘civics’ go ‘governance’: on the role and relevance of civic organizations in the policy arena in Sub-Saharan Africa Working Paper Series Synthesis Paper
Buccus, I. 2004 Civil Society and Participatory Policy Making in South Africa: gaps and opportunities IDASA’s submission on the ATB, June 2003 ii Press statement issued by SANEF
Buchanan, S., 2018 Power, Institutions and Organizations The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism
Barnes, C. 2006 Agents for Change: Civil Society Roles in Preventing War & Building Peace Agents for Change
Castells, M. 2007 Communication, Power and Counter-power in the Network Society International Journal of Communication Vol. 1
Clegg, 1989; Radical Revisions: Power, Discipline and Organizations Sage journals. Volume 10, Issue 1
Cognetti, F, 2014 What forms of participation today? Forms, pressures, competence Provided by Archivio istituzionle della ricerca-Politecno di Milano
Curran, Z. 2005. Civil Society Participation in the PRSP: The Role of Evidence and the Impact on Policy Choices? PPA synthesis study.
Erven, C. et al. 2023 PILLARS – Pathways to Inclusive Labour Markets: Guidelines on public participation in the policy making Part of Deliverable 7.5
Crozier, M. & Friedberg, E. 1977 L'acteur et le système Editions du Seuil, Paris
Fetterman, M. 2005 Empowerment Evaluation Principles in Practice Edited by David M. Fetterman and Abraham Wandersman
Foucault, M. 1977 Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. (A. Sheridan, Transl.). Random House Vintage Books.
Gutheil, L.2022 Working with Civil Society in Authoritarian Contexts? The Case of Niger Megatrends Policy Brief 28, 16.10.2024, 11 Seiten doi:10.18449/2024MTA-PB28v02
Grugel, J. (ed) (1999) Democracy without borders: transnationalism and conditionality in new democracies, London: Routledge.
Gyimah-boadi, E. 1996 Aspirations and Realities in Africa: Democratic Delivery Falls Short Volume 30, Issue 3
Hardy, C. 1994 Power and Organizational Development: A Framework for Organizational Change Journal of General Management Volume 20, Issue 2
Hearn, J. 2007 African NGOs: The New Compradors? Development and Change. 2007; Vol. 38, No. 6. pp. 1095-1110
Jakobsen et al., 2019 Expanding the field of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) – from responsible research to responsible innovation
Kelkil, F. T. Civil Society Organizations and Societal Transformation in Africa: The Case of Ethiopia (PhD Thesis)
Kelley, H. H., & Thibaut, J. 1978 Interpersonal relations: A theory of interdependence. New York: Wiley.
Kinyashi,G. F. 2006 Conditions for genuine participation for the poor: Critical analysis of Village Travel and Transport Project (VTTP) Morogoro, Tanzania Institute of Rural Development Planning Dodoma Tanzania
Jackson, R. 2021 The purpose of policy space for developed and developing countries in a changing global economic system Research in Globalization
Laclau, E., & Mouffe, C. 1985 Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. London
Lane, J.E. 2014 Institutionality: “Institution” and “Institutions Matter” Open Journal of Political Science Vol.4, No.1, 23-30
Lawrence, T. & Buchanan, S. 2018 Power, Institutions and Organizations The SAGE Handbook of Organizational Institutionalism
Malemane & Nel-Sanders, 2021 Strengthening participatory local governance for improved service delivery: The case of Khayelitsha Africa’s Public Service Delivery & Performance Review | Vol 9, No 1 |
Mallya, E.T. 2009 Civil Society Organizations, Incompetent Citezens, the State and Popular Participation in Tanzania Journal of African Elections Volume 8 No 2
March, J. & Olsen, J.P. 1984; The New Institutionalism: Organizational Factors in Political Life The American Political Science Review, Vol. 78, No. 3 (Sep., 1984), pp. 734-749
Marić, S. & Subotić, S. 2018 Evidence-based and Inclusive Policymaking in the Western Balkans What role for think tanks and other policy-orientated CSOs European Policy Centre (CEP Belgrade)
Mavee, S. E. A. & Cloete, F. 2012 The role of Civil Society Organizations in the policy-making process in Mozambique Case study of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Administratio Publica, Vol 20 No 4
Mayer, J. 2009 Policy Space: What, For What, and Where Development Policy Review, 2009, 27 (4): 373-395
Moriyole, B. A. Adesopo, A. A 2015 Citizen’s Participation in Policy Making at the Local Government in South Western Nigeria Academic Research International Vol. 6(2)
Mundy, K. et al. 2010 Civil society, basic education, and sector-wide aid: insights from Sub-Saharan Africa ISSN: 0961-4524 (Print) 1364-9213 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi
Najam, A. 1999 Citizen Organizations as Policy Entrepreneurs International Perspectives on Voluntary Action Routladge
Ngunjiri M. W. et al. 2023 Citezens Particpation in Local Governance in Africa A Selection of Case Studies International IDEA Strömsborg SE–103 34 Stockholm SWEDEN +46 8 698 37 00 info@idea.int www.idea.int
North, 1990 Institutions, Institutional Change and Economic Performance Cambridge University Press
Ongolo, S., Krott, M. 2025 Power Dynamics in African Forests The Politics of Global Sustainability Routledge London
Onyekwena, C., Weylandt, M. & Akanonu, P. 2017 The Role of Civil Society Organizations in Improving National Policy A Case Study of Nigeria’s Trade Negotiations in the EU-ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement Position Paper Prepared for the African Policy Circle
Pollard, A.& Court, J. 2005 How Civil Society Organisations Use Evidence to Influence Policy Processes: A literature review Overseas Development Institute
Popkewitz, T. S. & Brenman, M. 2005 Restructuring of Social and Political Theory in Education Foucaul and Social Epistemology of School Practices Educational Theory /Volume 4/ pp.287-313
Yogesh, R. & Gergen, J. 2016 With or Without You: Making Governance More Participatory Working Paper. ThinkWell
Report No. 32538-GLB Engaging Civil Society Organizations in Conflict Affected and Fragile States Three African Country Case Studies June 28, 2005 Social Development Department Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Document of the World Bank
Riddell, R. C. (2007). Does Foreign Aid Really Work? Oxford University Press
Rigon, A. 2014 Participation of people living in poverty in policy making Lessons for implementation of post-2015 COFOD Just One World
Salamon, L.M., Sokolowski, S.W. and List, R. (2003) Global Civil Society: An Overview. Center for Civil Society Studies, Institute for Policy Studies, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Smidt, H. 2018 Shrinking Civic Space in Africa: When Governments Crack Down on Civil Society GIGA Focus Africa Number 4 ISSN 1862-3603
Schneider, H.1999 Participatory Governance: The Missing Link for Poverty Reduction OECD Development Centre Policy Brief No. 17
Sogge, D. 2004, Give and Take. What's the Matter with Foreign Aid? Global Issues
Sutcliffe, S. & Court, J. 2006A toolkit for progressive policymakers in developing countries. London: Overseas Development Institute
Taylor-Powell, H. & Renner, M. 2003 Analyzing Qualitative Data Program Development & Evaluation University of Wisconsin
The Roles of Civil Society in African Union decision making processes: agenda setters, participants, collaborators and shapers? - Special Research Report Amani Africa media and research service
The Role of Civil Society in Policy Formulation and Service Provision Report of the UNRISD Geneva 2000 Seminar New York, 31 March 2000
Understanding The Role Of Civil Society Research In Influencing Government Policies Towards Fair Tax Systems In Africa NOVEMBER 2021
Van Schoor, J. 2023 What are Power Dynamics? The South African College of Applied Psychology
Van der Waldt, G. & Du Toit D. F. P. 1999 Managing for Excellence in the Public Sector Juta and Company Ltd 474 pages
Van Wesell, M. 2018 Navigating possibilities of collaboration How representative roles of diverse CSOs take shape A literature review
Weber, M. (1978). Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Published
2025-08-05
How to Cite
Tchassante-Tchedre, N. (2025). Power Dynamics and Agency in the Policy Space: How Coordinated Actions by Power-conscious Citizens Shape Policy Participation in Sub-Saharan Africa?. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 8(8), 341-351. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v8i8.2921
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