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

Introduction : African social movements or social movements in Afric a? / 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 diamo nds' and the Kimberley process / Lansana Gberie -- The Islamic courts u nion : the ebb and flow of a Somali Islamist movement / Jon Abbink -- L iberia's women acting for peace : collective action in a war-affected c ountry / Veronika Fuest -- Nurtured from the pulpit : the emergence and growth of Malawi's democracy movement / Boniface Dulani -- Bare-foot a ctivists : transformations in the haratine movement in Mauritania / Zek eria Ould Ahmed Salem -- An Islamic social movement in contemporary Wes t Africa : NASFAT of Nigeria / Benjamin Soares -- The United Democratic Front's legacy in South Africa : mission accomplished or vision betray ed? / Ineke van Kessel -- 'Campus cults' in Nigeria : the development o f an anti-social movement / Stephen Ellis.