Author: Joel D. Barkan | Journal of Democracy

Joel D. Barkan is professor emeritus of political science at the University of Iowa and nonresident senior associate with the Africa program of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He is the author of the 2011 CSIS report “Kenya: Assessing Risks to Stability.”

July 2013, Volume 24, Issue 3

Kenya’s 2013 Elections: Technology Is Not Democracy

Joel D. Barkan

In an effort to avoid repeating the 2007 electoral debacle, Kenya’s election commission turned to technology, but its high-tech voter-registration and vote-count processes fell short. Its experience has important lessons both for emerging democracies and for international donors.

January 2012, Volume 23, Issue 1

Democracy Assistance: What Recipients Think

Joel D. Barkan

A groundbreaking new survey shows that democracy assistance is highly valued by its recipients but that there remains room for improvement.

April 2008, Volume 19, Issue 2

Progress and Retreat in Africa: Legislatures on the Rise?

Joel D. Barkan

The legislature is emerging as a "player" in some African countries, though not in others. What is the relationship between legislative development and democratic consolidation in Africa?

April 1999, Volume 10, Issue 2

Regime Change in Africa

Joel D. Barkan

Review of Democratic Experiments in Africa: Regime Transitions in Comparative Perspective, by Michael Bratton and Nicolas Van de Walle

April 1998, Volume 9, Issue 2

African Ambiguities: Kenya Tries Again

Read the full essay here.

October 1995, Volume 6, Issue 4

PR and Southern Africa: Elections in Agrarian Societies

Joel D. Barkan

Read the full essay here.

July 1993, Volume 4, Issue 3

Kenya: Lessons From a Flawed Election

Joel D. Barkan

Read the full essay here.

Electoral Systems and Democracy

This book compares the experiences of diverse countries, from Latin America to southern Africa, from Uruguay, Japan, and Taiwan to Israel, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat

At a time when democracy seems to be in retreat in many parts of the world, Africa presents a more mixed picture. Democratization in Africa: Progress and Retreat brings into focus the complex landscape of African politics by pairing broad analytical surveys with country-specific case studies.