Language and Politics in a Creole Island State: Cabo Verde in a Comparative Perspective uses Cabo Verde as a case study to critically examine the language and politics nexus in a small creole island state. The current sociolinguistic condition of the country is that of diglossia, whereby Portuguese assumes the language of power, prestige, and high culture at the expense of the mother tongue of its citizens, the Cabo Verdean language, a Portuguese-based Creole (locally known as Kriolu). The postcolonial diglossic language policy stands on both domestic and international factors. Thus, Abel Amado explores the country’s language policy history since colonial times and discusses how Portugal’s diplomacy grounded on language spread policy has significantly contributed to the secondarization of the mother tongue. The ultimate consequence of the current sociolinguistic situation is the development and crystallization of the illegible state as a large segment of the population cannot comprehend the processes, operations, and procedures of power carried out in a language they do not understand. The illegible state has grave consequences on political participation and the overall quality of democracy.

In Economic Growth and Democracy in Post-Colonial Africa: Cabo Verde, Small States, and the World Economy, edited by Joao Resende-Santos and Aminah Fernandes Pilgrim, the contributors provide a comprehensive academic analysis of the political economy of Cabo Verde (Cabo Verde) from its independence in 1975 to the present. Democracy and economic growth have been in short supply in post-colonial Africa. Yet the widespread misperception of this vast and diverse continent as experiencing only failure has overshadowed cases of good governance, human development, and social peace. This volume offers a comprehensive analytical narrative on how Cabo Verde (Cape Verde) forged a nation and navigated the world system since independence to achieve some progress. The volume critically examines its political and institutional evolution, foreign affairs, economy, and development policy. The chapters analyze the sources and nature of this relative success as well as underscore the many shortcomings and challenges ahead. As the first volume in English on Cabo Verde's political economy, it serves as both a primary source and sociopolitical study, featuring some of the most accomplished scholars and policy practitioners. This collection aims to fill this gap in the literature and offers a new perspective on democracy and growth in post-colonial Africa.