Quality political participation and the SDGs in African small island developing states
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Abstract
Apart from Mauritius, five of the six African small island developing States (ASIDS) are relatively new to democracy with several only transitioning from one-party states to multiparty states in the early 1990s. Goals 13 and 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are priority goals for the ASIDS. Given that one of the key tests of a healthy democracy is the depth of civil society, this article seeks to examine the quality of political participation in the ASIDS in relation to these two priority SDGs. In so doing, this article considers conventional and nonconventional forms of participation and the potential impact these different avenues for a public “voice” might or might not have on the ASIDS’ government management of climate change and marine resources.
Resumen
Excepto Mauritius, los otros cinco pequeños estados insulares africanos en desarrollo (ASIDS en inglés) recién incursionan en la democracia; algunos de ellos transitan de estados con un solo partido a estados múlti-partidistas a principios de los años noventa. Los objetivos 13 y 14 de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sustentable (ODS) son prioritarios para los ASIDS. Considerando que una prueba de democracia sana es una sociedad civil robusta, este artículo examina la calidad de la participación política en los ASIDS en relación con estos dos ODS. El artículo considera las formas convencionales y no convencionales de participación y el impacto potencial que estas distintas vías de “voz” pública pueda tener en el manejo del cambio climático y los recursos marinos de las ASIDS.
Résumé
A l'exception de l’île Maurice, cinq des six petits états îles en dévelopement (PEID) d'Afrique sont relativement nouveaux en matière de démocratie dans la mesure où certains ont uniquement transité du parti unique au multipartisme au début des années 90. Treize des quatorze ODD sont prioritaires pour les PEID. En partant du constat qu'une des preuves clefs d'une démocratie saine réside dans l'amplitude de la société civile, cet article cherche à examiner la qualité de la participation politique dans les PEID en relation avec deux ODD prioritaires. Ainsi, l'article considère des formes de participation conventionnelles et non conventionnelles ainsi que leur impact potentiel sur une expression publique en particulier, à savoir l'existence d'une gestion gouvernementale des PEID d'Afrique en matière de changement climatique et de ressources marines.
Contributor Notes
DR SUZANNE GRAHAM (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5122-3330) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg, Adjunct Associate Professor (Research) at Monash University, and Extraordinary Senior Research Fellow at IIE/MSA. She has been a lecturer at UJ since 2006. Her Masters research focused on terrorist waves and corresponding terrorist groups. Her doctoral thesis focused on South Africa's voting behaviour in the United Nations, 1994–2008. She is a member of the South African Association of Political Studies (SAAPS). Dr Graham specialises in international relations and foreign policy and more specifically in the United Nations and other international organisations, small states and international conflict.
DR VICTORIA GRAHAM (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5756-9079) is Associate Professor of Political Science at the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg, Adjunct Associate Professor (Research) at Monash University, and Extraordinary Senior Research Fellow at IIE/MSA. Dr Graham specialises in democracy studies, diplomacy, comparative politics and foreign policy. Her teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels focuses on aspects of political science and international studies such as the developing world, international history, diplomacy in contemporary international relations, migration studies and South African democracy and development. She published a book in late 2015 entitled: Pass or Fail? Assessing the Quality of Democracy in South Africa.