Democracy

Moran has interesting passages on the social institutions of southeastern Liberia and on understandings of elections, but her general argument is less than fully persuasive. This is so not least because it is based on memories of Liberia as it was more than twenty years ago and on a reading of Glebo political institutions that, while instructive, is predicated on a liberal view of society whose applicability to Liberia is not beyond question.

Liberia: The Violence of Democracy, Review

February 21, 2020February 21, 2020 admin2Democracy, Liberia, Mary moran0 comment

Mary Moran, an anthropologist, did fieldwork in the southeast of Liberia in 1982–83. Since that time she has continued to follow the twists and turns of Liberian affairs from her vantage point in the United States, benefiting from the possibilities offered by modern communication and by the presence of an important Liberian diaspora. This book was provoked by her frustration at the ways in which Liberia has been represented in international media since its descent into war in 1989. In her view, moreover, proponents of some academic disciplines—political…

Hence, this letter intends: to notify you and your office about the rising threats against press freedom and free speech – to seek your full protection for journalists and critical voices including whistleblowers against all forms of repression – to plead for your assistance in safeguarding our democracy especially the Rule of Law from being butchered – to prevail upon the Weah-led government to guarantee basic human rights and other pro-democratic values which are principally hinged to maintaining peace, justice, security, equality, and prosperity for all.

Public Policy

Activist Writes UN S.G. António Guterres on Declining Press Freedoms and Democracy in Liberia

October 27, 2019 admin2Democracy, Freedoms, Liberia0 comment

Dear H. E. Guterres: With renewed courage and confidence in your leadership to guarantee a free press which emboldens peace, justice, accountability, equity, human rights, and sustainable development, our compliments and best wishes in high esteem. We implore you to bestow same upon distinguished members of the Security Council, the General Assembly, and other principal organs of the United Nations. We, Liberians, applaud you with standing ovation for recently hosting a successful 74th Regular Session of the UNGA. Such historic milestone is not only an evidence of…

Op-ed

Rethinking The State In Liberia, Part II

June 1, 2019 admin2Alaric Tokpa, Democracy, Liberia0 comment

By Alaric Tokpa Counter-hegemonic Discourse and the Crisis of the Liberian State The above framing of subject heading is in no way intended to suggest that counter-hegemonic discourse preceded the crisis of the state in Liberia. In fact, it was the crisis of the state that generated and gave fertile grounds to militant activism which, in turn, provided greater public exposure to the crisis of the state and induced popular opposition. Taking advantage of the space thus created by the unrepentant failure of the state, several mass organizations…

Op-ed

Rethinking The State In Liberia

May 30, 2019 admin2Alaric Tokpa, Democracy, Liberia0 comment

By Alaric Tokpa Introduction PART I In the popular search for appropriate state model, the beginning of the 21st century is an era of unrest and political uncertainty in Africa. At the same time, “history weighs heavily on the global periphery, producing conditions in many countries that are inhospitable to both democracy and social justice”.[i] Evidently then, the complication of the period presents a challenge to social science scholarship, as hardly can any African country in this age predict with absolute certainty the future direction of its political…