Should the study of African politics be approached differently to the study of politics in the West?

To answer the question posed and understand if the study of African politics should be approached differently than the study of politics in the west I believe it is essential to consider them both separately and establish if there any similarities or apparent differences. In order to do this I am going to break this essay down into sections that will enable me to conclude and ultimately answer the question posed. The three sections that I have proposed are; firstly ‘Does the study of western political systems help us understand politics in Africa? Secondly, Do we need different concepts and methods to study African politics? And finally, Can the study of African politics tell us about politics in the west?


The term the West has, I think two overlapping meanings. In a general sense, the term refers to the cultural and philosophical inheritance of Europe, which has often been exported through migration or colonialism. The roots of this inheritance lie in the Christian religion and...