Subnational Foreign Relations in Africa

An Interdisciplinary Analysis of South Africa and Nigeria
1. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-0-367-20221-7
Verlag: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Buch, Englisch, 200 Seiten, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 453 g

Reihe: Routledge Research in International Economic Law

This book offers a pioneering comparative analysis of the international relations of subnational governments (SNGs) in two of Africa’s most influential geopolitical actors: South Africa and Nigeria.

Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from political science, international relations, and legal studies, the book examines the motivations, instruments, institutional mechanisms, and challenges shaping the external engagements of SNGs in these leading African economies. Through case studies, the book provides critical insights into how constitutional, institutional, and historical contexts influence subnational international relations from an African perspective. Drawing on these findings, the book argues that paradiplomacy in Africa is best understood through the lens of developmental paradiplomacy, where socio-economic imperatives, rather than political autonomy, drive subnational international engagement. It demonstrates how the need for practical cooperation and the pursuit of local and regional economic development has been central to sustaining the international involvement of African SNGs, a strategy born out of necessity rather than an expression of political self-determination.

This book will be an essential resource for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners seeking to understand the role of subnational actors in global governance and African development, offering fresh perspectives on the evolving landscape of international relations in the Global South.

Zielgruppe

Postgraduate

Autoren/Hrsg.

Nganje, Fritz

Omiunu, Ohiocheoya

Aniyie, Ifeanyichukwu Azuka

Fachgebiete

• Rechtswissenschaften Recht, Rechtswissenschaft Allgemein

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. General Introduction

2.  Conceptual and Analytic Framework

3. An Overview of the Case Study Countries

4. The Context and Drivers of Subnational Foreign Relations In South Africa and Nigeria

5. Paradiplomacy in Action In South Africa And Nigeria

6. Conclusion

Über Autor(innen)

Ohiocheoya Omiunu is an Associate Professor in the Kent Law School at the University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom and Senior Research Associate (Non-Resident), Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Fritz Ikome Nganje is an Associate Professor and Head of Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.

Ifeanyichukwu Azuka Aniyie is an Independent Researcher.