Suggesting that optimistic cries of an "African Renaissance" in the latter half of the 1990s may have been a bit overstated, Gyimah-Boadi (political science, U. of Ghana) introduces 11 papers exploring the prospects of African democratic reform. Six thematic chapters review the current state of political and economic reforms, civil society, corruption control, and internal conflict. These are followed by case studies of democracy and development in Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and South Africa. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)