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Abstract
The primary questions this dissertation focus on the African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights. Why do states choose to join the court? Is the court successful in its reason for being? How does the court impact individual perceptions of domestic institutional patterns? Regarding ratification patterns, this dissertation shows Africa does not represent a special case. States accede to the African Court as a means to lock-in recent democratic gains against future backsliding. These findings are contingent, however, upon the degree of risk for judicial sovereignty loss and the length of the leader's time horizon for continued rule. This dissertation also investigates the interactive pressure from membership in the African Court and a higher density of non-governmental human rights organizations (HRO) upon human
rights outcomes. The analysis shows member states with a higher density of HROs experience increased respect for civil liberties and political rights. Finally, this dissertation develops the theoretic concept of a juridical advocacy network (JAN) that consists of domestic and international judicial institutions and HROs. The findings indicate that individuals residing in states with denser JANs are more likely to perceive of their president as following laws and the relative freedom of HROs to operate without repression.
rights outcomes. The analysis shows member states with a higher density of HROs experience increased respect for civil liberties and political rights. Finally, this dissertation develops the theoretic concept of a juridical advocacy network (JAN) that consists of domestic and international judicial institutions and HROs. The findings indicate that individuals residing in states with denser JANs are more likely to perceive of their president as following laws and the relative freedom of HROs to operate without repression.