ABSTRACT
The second wave of democratization in Africa has coincided with the development and spread of new information technology, notably the use of computers for communications purposes (Bourgault 1995:206-208). Donor agencies and private foundations have assisted in providing new facilities as have transnational telecommunications corporations competing for influence and control of the African market. This chapter will examine both the opportunities and constraints associated with the ongoing efforts to democratize governance in Africa. It will demonstrate that the uses of the Internet vary from place to place and from group to group but that it is possible to draw at least some preliminary conclusions regarding its role in democratization based on the experiences to date.
