{"product_id":"negotiating-power-and-inequality-in-ghana-electricity-and-citizenship-as-reciprocity-hardcover","title":"Negotiating Power and Inequality in Ghana: Electricity and Citizenship as Reciprocity - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eLauren M. MacLean\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Ghana, much as in other parts of the Global South, postcolonial leaders aimed for industrial growth through the establishment of affordable hydroelectric power. However, in the current rapidly changing climate, many nations face recurring droughts, which hinder electricity production just when demand is on the rise. This situation has led to challenges like load shedding and unplanned power outages, which have strained the bond between citizens and the government.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNegotiating Power and Inequality in Ghana \u003c\/i\u003eaims to unravel the puzzling reality that, despite enduring increasing difficulties from these electricity shortages, the Ghanaian citizens who suffer most harshly are also the least likely to demand political accountability from the state. Drawing on archival evidence, focus groups, qualitative interviews, survey data, and contemporary art and music, author Lauren M. MacLean explains how this disparity in experience--fueled by differences in income and geographical location--has led lower- and higher-income Ghanaians to form contrasting perspectives on their social rights regarding public services and to adopt varying approaches to political involvement. Rather than relying on a predetermined social contract, citizens in Ghana develop a more fluid relationship with the state, shaped by their histories, identities, and personal experiences. This reciprocity highlights their awareness of how climate change and the global shift toward green energy can significantly impact their lives while also underscoring the necessity for the government to take the lead and engage with Ghanaians to promote climate justice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTargeted at a diverse audience that includes academics, policymakers, activists, and the general public, \u003ci\u003eNegotiating Power and Inequality in Ghana\u003c\/i\u003e encourages readers to gain insight into the dynamics that lead to political crises and to explore potential solutions to energy poverty in a time marked by increasing inequality and global climate challenges.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLauren M. MacLean is Dr. Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Chair of Public Life and Department Chair of Political Science at Northeastern University. She is author of \u003ci\u003eInformal Institutions and Citizenship in Rural Africa\u003c\/i\u003e, (with Melani Cammett)\u003ci\u003e The Politics of Non-State Social Welfare\u003c\/i\u003e, (with Diana Kapiszewski and Benjamin L. Read) \u003ci\u003eField Research in Political Science\u003c\/i\u003e, and (with Gustavo García-López and Prakash Kashwan)\u003ci\u003e Climate Justice in the City \u003c\/i\u003e(forthcoming).\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 312\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 8.5 x 5.9 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 03, 2026\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47521642119389,"sku":"9780253074751","price":183.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/iBNlrSL-Oq9780253074751.webp?v=1772264061","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/negotiating-power-and-inequality-in-ghana-electricity-and-citizenship-as-reciprocity-hardcover","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}