Western notions of statehood have tended to influence the analysis of the viability of states in Africa, particularly the view that larger states have the greater potential to sustain economic viability. Yet, against a background of much recent progress on the African continent in terms of economic development and improvements in governance, it is the larger African states which have persistently disappointed—both in terms of their own economic and political development and in terms of their ability to exert a positive influence on the region in which they are located. In this study of six African "big states," specialists across a range of disciplines analyze both the country-specific factors which have led to all but one of these states being described as dysfunctional, as well as cross-cutting issues which affect all of the big states in Africa and which may have contributed to "dysfunctionality."

Christopher Clapham is based at the Centre for African Studies at Cambridge University. Jeffrey Herbst is provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at Miami University in Ohio. Greg Mills is director of the Brenthurst Foundation in Johannesburg.