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New Patterns of Mobilization for and against Democracy

Moses Tofa

Contact: m.tofa(at)uniandes.edu.co

Head of Research and Policy, The African Federation

Dr. Moses Tofa holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Johannesburg, a PhD in Peace Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, MA International Peace and Security from King’s College London, and MSc in International Relations from the University of Zimbabwe. He has worked as a Senior Researcher with the Centre for Conflict Resolution and the Mass Public Opinion Institute, Programme Officer with the Open Society Foundation for South Africa and Lecturer with the University of Zimbabwe and the Women’s University in Africa. He has led the King’s College London African Leadership Centre’s research agenda on Peace, Society and the State in Africa from the Nairobi office. He has also anchored the ALC/University of Nairobi’s Institute for Development Studies post-graduate module on Peace, Security and Development. His research focuses on elections in Africa, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, African agency in international relations and political parties in Africa.

Research project

Convoluted sources of pernicious polarization: A comparative study of Zimbabwe and South Africa

Political polarization has become a major threat to the future of democracy in Zimbabwe and South Africa. In both countries, polarization has diverse sources such as populism, ideological deficiencies or differences, and intolerant political discourses. It is interesting that South Africa is a celebrated democracy and Zimbabwe is an authoritarian state, but both of them are deeply polarized. This comparative study seeks to examine the causes and consequences of polarization in both countries and the measures that should be taken to mitigate it.