01665nam a22001937a 4500003000500000005001700005008004100022020002900063040003300092082001500125245007100140260005800211300002200269490003400291520106500325521001101390700002801401700004201429322820251014121923.0251014b        sa ||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d  a9780620476003qPaperback  aMPLbEnglishc3228dRDAeRDA 0a321.8 AGAI  aAgainst all odds/bopposition political parties in Southern Africa  aSandton, SA:bKMM Review publishing company,c©2011.  a261 pages.c23 cm  aDemocracy in Africa seriesv2  aOpposition political parties are vital to the functioning of democracies as they provide a representative system of the electorate while keeping ruling parties accountable. Through this important legislative role, the political system gains legitimacy. However, opposition parties across the southern African region confront many challenges in their attempts to function effectively. This, of course, raises important questions. Why is the political opposition so weak and fragmented in the region? Are the challenges largely due to internal weaknesses or state repression? How do opposition parties relate to their constituencies as well as broader civil society? In seeking to answer these questions, this volume assembled contributions from a number of prominent scholars from the region who share the experiences of their respective countries. The diversity of countries included - from the island-state of Mauritius to regional behemoth South Africa, from democratic Botswana to feudal Swaziland - allows one to draw comparative lessons about the region.   aAdults  aSolomon, Hussein editor  avan Heerden, Brandon cover and design