Human Rights and Reform: Changing the Face of North African PoliticsIndependence from colonial rule did not usher in the halcyon days many North Africans had hoped for, as the new governments in Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria soon came to rely on repression to reinforce and maintain power. In response to widespread human rights abuses, individuals across the Maghrib began to form groups in the late 1970s to challenge the political practices and structures in the region, and over time these independent human rights organizations became prominent political actors. The activists behind them are neither saints nor revolutionaries, but political reformers intent on changing political patterns that have impeded democratization. This study, the first systematic comparative analysis of North African politics in more than a decade, explores the ability of society, including Islamist forces, to challenge the powers of states. Locating Maghribi polities within their cultural and historical contexts, Waltz traces state-society relations in the contemporary period. Even as Algeria totters at the brink of civil war and security concerns rise across the region, the human rights groups Susan Waltz examines implicitly challenge the authoritarian basis of political governance. Their efforts have not led to the democratic transition many had hoped, but human rights have become a crucial new element of North African political discourse. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1995. |
Contents
HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE POLITICS OF CHANGE | 1 |
THE NORTH AFRICAN POLITICAL CONTEXT | 35 |
THE POLITICS OF HUMAN RIGHTS | 131 |
The International Dimension | 194 |
The Changing Face of North African Politics | 216 |
Other editions - View all
Human Rights and Reform: Changing the Face of North African Politics Susan E. Waltz Limited preview - 2023 |
Human Rights and Reform: Changing the Face of North African Politics Susan Eileen Waltz Limited preview - 1995 |
Human Rights and Reform: Changing the Face of North African Politics Susan E. Waltz Limited preview - 2022 |
Common terms and phrases
abuses actors al-Nahda Algerian League Ali's AMDH Amnesty International Arab arrested Bendjedid Berber Bourguiba Chadli Bendjedid Committee concerns constitution contest countries critical democracy democratic detention domestic droits de l'homme economic Economy of Morocco effective efforts elections elites established forces foreign policy French Habib Bourguiba Hassan human rights activists human rights groups human rights movement important independence individuals international human rights Islamic Islamist movement Islamists issues Istiqlal Party Jeune Afrique king LADH leaders leadership League of Human league's liberal LTDH Maghrib Maghribi human rights makhzen ment military minister Mohammed monarchy Moroccan Morocco nationalist Neo-Destour OMDH organization Palace parliament patriarchal patrimonial political culture political discourse political game political parties political system popular president pressures prison promote Rabat reform regime region reports repression rhetoric role rule Socialist society structures Tazmamart tion Tunis Tunisia Tunisian League UNFP USFP Western Sahara