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Nic Cheeseman

Professor of Democracy, University of Birmingham

Nic Cheeseman is the Professor of Democracy at the University of Birmingham. He was formerly the Director of the African Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. His research addresses a range of questions such as whether populism is an effective strategy of political mobilization in Africa, how paying tax changes citizens’ attitudes towards democracy and corruption, and the conditions under which ruling parties lose power. In addition to a number of book chapters and articles, he has published two co-edited collections: Our Turn To Eat (2010), which covers the politics of Kenya since independence, and The Handbook of African Politics (2013). A monograph, Democracy in Africa, was published by Cambridge University Press in 2015 and a second book, How to Rig An Election, is currently under contract with Yale.

Nic spends much of his time explaining the implications of his work to policy makers, including the Cabinet Office, Foreign Office, and the Department for International Development of the UK government, the Instituto Rio Branco of the Brazilian government, the Lagos State Government, the Pan African Parliament, and the World Bank. He is the joint editor of African Affairs, an advisor to the African Progress Panel, and a member of the advisory board of the UNICEF Chair on Communication Research (Africa). Finally, Nic writes a regular column for Kenya's Sunday Nation newspaper and is the founder of www.democacyinafrica.org. You can follow all of his research on Twitter @fromagehomme and at https://www.facebook.com/nic.cheeseman

Fears of election rigging may fuel further abuses in Kenya: democracy could be the loser

Feb 23, 2022 22:39 pm UTC| Politics

As Kenyans approach a general election in August 2022, many lack confidence in the electoral process. According to a national opinion poll conducted by Afrobarometer in 2019, only 29.2% of Kenyans thought that the...

Digital democracy is still a long way off in Africa: it takes more than technology

Oct 05, 2020 13:30 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

From the mid-2000s onwards, the digital revolution raised hopes of democratic transformation and strengthening in Africa. But it hasnt quite turned out like that. Now, almost a decade after the Arab Spring, techno-optimism...

Discrediting elections: why the opposition playbook carries risks

Feb 25, 2020 12:57 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law

Malawi recently held its breath as the Constitutional Court took ten hours to painstakingly read out its verdict on the highly controversial 2019 presidential elections. When it finally became clear that the judgment would...

Kenya: why elite cohesion is more important than ethnicity to political stability

Feb 22, 2020 00:25 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Kenyan politics is often depicted as a battle between different ethnic Big Men who can mobilise their supporters with a click of their fingers. The ability of successive generations of the Kenyatta family to rally the...

Both democracy and authoritarianism are on the rise in Africa

Feb 19, 2019 16:58 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Is democracy in Africa in retreat? Or is it simply suffering growing pains? The last 12 months have seen a great deal of controversy and debate on these important questions. There have been some bright spots, like the...

Zambia slides towards authoritarianism as IMF props up government

Jun 21, 2017 15:45 pm UTC| Insights & Views

The speaker of the Zambian National Assembly, Patrick Matibini, has suspended 48 opposition legislators for 30 days as a punishment for unauthorised absence from the parliament. Their offence? To have been missing for...

Economy

Impact of Iran-Israel conflict on Stocks, Gold and Bitcoin

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice. The information provided is for general purposes only. No information, materials, services and other content provided on this page constitute a solicitation, recommendation,...

Japan Posts 7.7% Growth in Machinery Orders

In a striking development that looks set to invigorate Japans economic prospects, a key gauge of capital spending in the country has seen its most significant jump in over a year. According to Cabinet Office data released...

How cuts to marginal income tax could boost the UK’s stagnant economic growth

The British prime minister recently claimed the UK economy has turned a corner. Rishi Sunak said inflation figures were encouraging, and proclaimed that 2024 would be the year Britain bounces back. According to his...

A sustainable future begins at ground level

In 2015, the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a call to action in global partnership. By 2023 it appears that our progress has been far from satisfactory in achieving these...

Digital trade protocol for Africa: why it matters, what’s in it and what’s still missing

In February 2024, African heads of states adopted a draft protocol to regulate digital trade within the continent. This significant yet challenging course for Africas digital economy fits into the broader trade agreement,...

Politics

Nvidia RTX 4090D Embroiled in US-China Tech Rivalry; South Korea Navigates Chip Export Dilemma

The U.S. government has tightened export restrictions on high-performance semiconductor chips to China, including the Nvidia RTX 4090D, and is urging South Korea to enforce similar curbs, marking a significant escalation...

Canada needs a national strategy for homeless refugee claimants

One year after the federal government closed Roxham Road, refugee claims in Canada continue to increase: there were 143,785 in 2023 compared to 91,730 in 2022. The surprise announcement in March 2023 to modify Canadas...

Who will Trump pick as his running mate?

Being second in line for leadership of the most powerful country in the world is not an easy job. But for Mike Pence, vice president under Donald Trump, things were even harder than usual. As insurrectionists descended...

US and Japan Boost AI, Semiconductor Alliance; EU Eyes Reduction in China Dependence

Japan and the United States are poised to deepen ties in the high-tech sector, signaling a strategic move to enhance their global partnership with a focus on artificial intelligence and semiconductor...

US Finalizes Ban List for Chinese Chipmakers; Boosts Mexico Semiconductor Ties

The United States is finalizing a list of Chinese chip factories banned from receiving vital technology, aiming to curb Beijings tech advancements amid national security concerns. Concurrently, a US-Mexico semiconductor...

Science

Could a telescope ever see the beginning of time? An astronomer explains

The James Webb Space Telescope, or JWST for short, is one of the most advanced telescopes ever built. Planning for JWST began over 25 years ago, and construction efforts spanned over a decade. It was launched into space on...

US media coverage of new science less likely to mention researchers with African and East Asian names

When one Chinese national recently petitioned the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to become a permanent resident, he thought his chances were pretty good. As an accomplished biologist, he figured that news...

If life exists on Jupiter’s moon Europa, scientists might soon be able to detect it

Europa is one of the largest of more than 90 moons in orbit around the planet Jupiter. It is also one of the best places to look for alien life. Often termed an ocean world by scientists, observations to date strongly...

Exploding stars are rare but emit torrents of radiation − if one happened close enough to Earth, it could threaten life on the planet

Stars like the Sun are remarkably constant. They vary in brightness by only 0.1% over years and decades, thanks to the fusion of hydrogen into helium that powers them. This process will keep the Sun shining steadily for...

An eclipse for everyone – how visually impaired students can ‘get a feel for’ eclipses

Many people in the U.S. will have an opportunity to witness nearly four minutes of a total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, as it moves from southern Texas to Maine. But in the U.S., over 7 million people are blind...

Technology

Tesla's Elon Musk Teases Full Self-Driving Launch in China, Postpones India Visit

On Saturday, Teslas CEO Elon Musk teased the near-term rollout of Full Self-Driving in China and announced a delay in his awaited visit to India, attributing it to pressing Tesla commitments. FSD in China: An Impending...

Kia Unveils $15,000 EV2, Spearheading Affordable Electric Vehicle Drive

Kia has unveiled the EV2, its newest addition to the electric vehicle market, priced at around $15,000. This compact SUV, seen in recent test footage, is part of Kias broader strategy to introduce a range of affordable...

Bitcoin Halving 2024 Complete: New Era for Miners and Market Speculation

Bitcoin has successfully completed its fourth halving, reducing mining rewards to 3.125 BTC per block and sparking widespread speculation about future price surges. As the crypto community eyes potential market shifts,...

Tesla Cybertruck Recall: NHTSA Flags 3,878 Units for Pedal Issue

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has ordered a recall for Teslas Cybertruck, citing a severe pedal issue that necessitated temporarily halting deliveries to address potential safety...

ShibArmy Issues Critical Alert: No BONE Airdrops, Beware of Scams

The Shiba Inu community is on high alert as ShibArmy Scam Alerts warns against phishing emails falsely promising BONE airdrops. These fraudulent communications are designed to steal personal information and digital assets...