Michael Asiedu is a comparative politics scholar whose research examines the intersections of law, technology, political institutions, and civil society in Africa, with a particular focus on politically sensitive cases. He holds a PhD in International Affairs and Political Economy from the University of St Gallen, Switzerland. His research focuses on comparative judicial politics, authoritarianism, digital governance, and civil society strategies of political and legal contestation. His doctoral research examined how civil society organisations challenge government-ordered internet shutdowns before courts in Africa. His current research investigates judicial autonomy and the conditions under which courts constrain or accommodate political power in politically consequential cases.
MIASA Project: Judging Power: Judicial Autonomy in African Politics
Courts have become increasingly important arenas for political contestation in Africa, yet their ability to act independently of political power varies considerably across cases and contexts. Judging Power examines the conditions under which African courts exercise judicial autonomy when adjudicating politically sensitive cases involving governments and other powerful political actors.
The project develops a comparative framework for explaining variation in judicial behaviour in politically sensitive cases, focusing on how institutional arrangements, political incentives, judicial characteristics, and the broader political environment shape judicial decision-making. It asks when courts are more likely to constrain political power, when they accommodate political authorities, and why judges respond differently to similar forms of political pressure. By focusing on politically sensitive cases, the project seeks to understand how courts navigate the tension between their formal role as independent institutions and the political pressures that surround high-stakes disputes. The project contributes to broader debates on judicial politics, democratic accountability, and institutional resilience in contemporary Africa.
Selected publications
Asiedu, Michael. 2026. “The Timing Trap: Misinformation, Disinformation, and the Limits of Fact-Checking in Kenya’s 2022 Elections.” South African Journal of International Affairs 33(2): 271–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/10220461.2026.2683199.
Asiedu, Michael. 2025. “The Digital Continent: Placing Africa in Planetary Networks of Work.” African Affairs 123(493): 559–561.
Asiedu, Michael. 2025. “Putting Courts under Pressure: When Lawmakers Push Constitutional Boundaries.” Democratization 33(1): 193–195.
Asiedu, Michael. 2025. Internet Shutdowns before Authoritarian Courts in Africa. PhD dissertation, University of St Gallen.
