In public choice theory, the received wisdom has long been that self-organization is an impediment to collective action, whether via the tragedy of the commons or a Hobbesian scenario in which self-interest produces social conflict rather than cooperation. Yet as this fascinating collection shows, self-organization and state-society relations have been much more complicated in the context of contemporary Nigerian politics. Given the absence or unwillingness of the Nigerian state to provide essential services, entire communities have had to band together to repair roads, build health centers, and maintain public utilities, all from levies. The successes, failures, and ongoing challenges faced by Nigerian society provide valuable insights into the state's capacity, its relationship with civil society, and the social, economic, and political well-being of its citizens.

1. Contesting Nigerian State: Civil Society and the Contradictions of Self-Organization - Introduction, Concepts, and Questions; Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome 2. Civil Society and the Challenges of Development and Nation Building in the Post Colonial African State; Ademola Araoye 3. State Failure and the Contradictions of the Public Sphere, 1995-2005; Ayo Olukotun 4. Mobilizing For Change: The Press and the Struggle for Citizenship in Democratic Nigeria; Wale Adebanwi 5. Gendered States: Women's Civil Society Activism in Nigerian Politics; Mojúbàolú Olúfúnké Okome 6. Feminist Civil Society Organizations and Democratization in Nigeria; Funmi Soetan 7. Women's Associational Life within Traditional Institutions in Yoruba States; Fatai A. Olasupo 8. Sexual Struggles and Democracy Dividends; Ebenezer Obadare 9. Politics in a Sub-Formal Economic Setting: Workplace Investment Co-Operatives in Southwestern Nigeria, C.1986-2011; Olufemi A. Akinola