The Impact of Decolonization on Political and Social Landscapes in Africa: A Case Study of Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47604/ijhr.2016Keywords:
Decolonization, Political Landscapes, Social Landscapes, Africa, Post-Colonial, ImpactAbstract
Purpose: The general objective of this study was to investigate the impact of decolonization on the political and social landscapes with emphasis on Kenya.
Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to the impacts of decolonization on the political and social landscapes in Africa. Preliminary empirical review revealed the importance of strengthening democratic institutions and promoting citizen participation in the political process. This includes enhancing transparency, accountability, and representation to address the persistent challenges of corruption and unequal power distribution. Additionally, supporting and empowering civil society organizations is crucial for advocating social justice, human rights, and democratic governance, enabling them to play an active role in shaping the post-colonial landscape.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Postcolonial theory, the Dependence theory and the Critical Race theory may be used to anchor future studies on the impacts of decolonization on the political and social landscapes of Africa. The study recommends that African nations can navigate the challenges and harness the opportunities of decolonization, paving the way for inclusive, democratic, and sustainable development by focusing on the economic development, addressing the ethnic conflicts, increasing investment, improving infrastructure and addressing quality disparities.
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