Ray,Donald I., and E. Adriaan B. van Rouveroy van Nieuwaal. "The New Relevance of Traditional Authorities in Africa: The Conference; Major Themes; Reflections on Chieftaincy In Africa; Future Directions." The Journal of Legal Pluralism and Unofficial Law 28,no. 37-38 (1996): 1-38.

The authors argue that there has been a lapse on the possible relationship that exists between contemporary African State and traditional authority i.e. chiefs. There has often been a disjuncture between state structures and civil society in much of Africa. While the view is widely held that Africa's democratization should draw from its cultural traditions, little has been done to analyze systematically the extent to which this does or can occur. The authors argue that traditional authority acts as a unique linkage between the contemporary state and civil society in many African countries in the areas of democratization, development, human rights (including gender) and environmental protection, but that these linkages were often unrecognized, ignored, or misunderstood.