Elites and the Politics of Accountability in Africa

tion to competing explanations would have been appreciated (at least by this reviewer). These points notwithstanding, there is little doubt that Taylor’s book will be the goto resource for political scientists, legal scholars, and practitioners seeking to understand how the tutela transformed Colombian society and how social constitutionalism became ingrained in everyday life. While a rich literature has documented the deficiencies marring the rule of law in Latin America, Taylor makes a contribution by illuminating a positive case of how rights become embedded in practice. Given that the study of political regimes often exhibits a selection bias toward negative cases, Taylor’s contribution is rare and refreshing. For the many scholars and citizens who admire the Colombian model—or seek to improve upon it—this book will be required reading.