PROTEST AND REBELLION IN AFRICA - EXPLAINING CONFLICTS BETWEEN ETHNIC-MINORITIES AND THE STATE IN THE 1980S

This article examines the sub-Saharan African portion of the global Mi norities at Risk project. It analyzes the relationships between group characteristics, grievances, mobilization, state characteristics, and nonviolent protest and rebellion in Africa and compares these relation ships with those found in a global analysis using the same data set. M obilization is more important than group characteristics or grievances in explaining nonviolent protest and rebellion in the 1980s globally, and especially in Africa because political action there is taken main ly in response to the dynamics of mobilization and state response over the last 30 years. The state characteristics that are associated with the two forms of political action in Africa and globally differ; in t he former case the strongest relationships are between greater-althoug h partial-democracy in the 1960s and nonviolent protest and between co mpetitiveness of participation in the 1960s and rebellion. An interpre tive explanation of these differences is presented.