Includes bibliographical references (p. [237]-253).

Introduction : African social movements or social movements in Africa? / Stephen Ellis & Ineke van Kessel -- Social movement theory : past, presence & prospects / Jacquelien van Stekelenburg & Bert Klandermans -- Speaking to global debates through a national and continental lens : South African and African social movements in comparative perspective / Adam Habib & Paul Opoku-Mensah -- African civil society, 'blood diamonds' and the Kimberley process / Lansana Gberie -- The Islamic courts union : the ebb and flow of a Somali Islamist movement / Jon Abbink -- Liberia's women acting for peace : collective action in a war-affected country / Veronika Fuest -- Nurtured from the pulpit : the emergence and growth of Malawi's democracy movement / Boniface Dulani -- Bare-foot activists : transformations in the haratine movement in Mauritania / Zekeria Ould Ahmed Salem -- An Islamic social movement in contemporary West Africa : NASFAT of Nigeria / Benjamin Soares -- The United Democratic Front's legacy in South Africa : mission accomplished or vision betrayed? / Ineke van Kessel -- 'Campus cults' in Nigeria : the development of an anti-social movement / Stephen Ellis.