Scholars and students of African politics address some of the thorniest issues of our time. Indeed, over the last thirty years or so, the subdiscipline has expanded in scope and ambition, and leads the way in major fields of research, such as the study of ethnicity and identity politics.

Now, this timely new collection from Routledge, edited by Nic Cheeseman (the former Director of the African Studies Centre at Oxford University), brings together the classic and essential texts of African politics, creating a top-quality and easily accessible resource for students, researchers, and policymakers alike. The four volumes that make up the collection are structured around the biggest questions that have dominated African Studies:

• What was the legacy of colonial rule, and has Africa broken free of its international dependency?
• How are ethnic identities formed, and what impact have they had?
• Why is Africa so poor? What are the main barriers to development?
• Is democracy feasible in Africa, and, if so, how can it be designed to promote political stability?

Each volume is introduced by a comprehensive summary chapter, newly written by the editor, which both provides a valuable overview of the key trends in the literature and explains what we know, what we don’t know, and what controversies remain.