Prisoners of freedom : human rights and the African poor

"In this vivid ethnography, Harri Englund investigates how ideas of freedom impede struggles against poverty and injustice in emerging democracies. Reaching beyond a narrow focus on the national elite, Prisoners of Freedom shows how foreign aid and human rights activism hamper the pursuit of democratic citizenship in Africa. The book explores how activists, whose aspirations for self-improvement are pursued under harsh economic conditions, find in the discourse of human rights a new means to distinguish themselves from the poor masses. Among expatriates, the emphasis on abstract human rights prevents confrontations with the political and business elites. Drawing on long-term research among the Malawian poor, Englund brings to life the personal circumstances of Malawian human rights activists, their expatriate benefactors, and the urban and rural poor as he develops a fresh perspective on freedom - one that recognizes the significance of debt, obligation, and civic virtues"--Unedited summary from book cover. Includes bibliographical references (pages 225-242) and index. xi, 247 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm.