“This paper provides a landscape view of concepts and methods commonly used – or with high potential for use – in the study of African governance. It draws on both Africanist and non-Africanist literature, and, consistent with the Terms of Reference, pays special attention to those methods with the greatest potential for illuminating social policy issues. For ease of analysis the concepts and methods literature has been grouped under four broad headings: political science approaches, economic approaches, socio-political approaches, and ethnographic approaches. The paper concludes by advocating a pluralistic, problem-driven approach to governance research.”
