Argues that even though the presence of natural resources may prolong civil wars in Africa, in a number of cases civil wars and organised crime have the same origin: a combination of poor political, economic and social governance at a national, regional and international level. Focusing on Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Zimbabwe, the book scrutinises resource-rich countries and a poorer one, all of which experi-enced organised crime prior to, during and after the eruption of civil wars. The book is divided into two sections, with the first focusing on definitional issues and the theoretical background of the nexus between organised crime and conflict. The second includes an in-depth discussion of the presence of organised crime in each of the individual countries. Index, 443pp, SOUTH AFRICA. SOUTH AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.

2006 9781919969411 Paperback

The book looks for the major causes of civil war in post-independence Africa and to suggest ways in which political stability and order can be restored to the continent. 79pp, notes, bib. ZIMBABWE. ZIMBABWE, UNIVERSITY PUBLICATIONS, 0908307659

Violence connects people whether directly or indirectly financing violence or by fighting the war against terror. Violent incidents are often deeply rooted in structures and systems. With a focus on Africa, this study examines three structurally interdependent conflict systems to highlight the complexities of trans-boundary and trans-regional conflict systems. Selected contents: Conflict systems in the Democratic Republic of Congo; The intrastate conflict system in Somalia; The intrastate conflict system in Sudan; Regional and global conflict systems in the Horn of Africa. 262pp, UK. ASHGATE.

A collection of the author's philosophical essays on war and ethics, published between 1988 and 2003. Walzer deals with issues such as nuclear deterrence, humanitarian intervention, and terrorism and looks in detail at the Gulf War and the wars in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The author also questions the issue of military intervention in the context of massacres and ethnic cleansing. Cases examined include Rwanda, the Sudan, Sierra Leone, the Congo, and Liberia. Index, notes, xv, 208pp, USA. YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS, 0300103654

Contributors discuss an overview of conflict in Africa, violence since 1950, the economic context of violence, ethnicity as myth in Central Africa, the potential of NGOs for conflict reduction, and conflict resolution. Appendices include a chronology of armed conflict in Africa from prehistory to the present. One chapter is a case study of the Sudan. Bib, apps, maps, notes, xii, 313pp, USA. SCARECROW. 0810847426

An atlas which visually describes the areas of conflict across the world. Clear and informative, the maps show the causes of all recent and current conflicts. Index, refs, maps, diags, 128pp, UK. EARTHSCAN, 184407000X

Whether referring to Algeria's struggle for independence from French colonial rule, Nigeria's internal struggles to achieve a balanced state after the British departure, the Rwandan genocide of 1994, or the current ethnic cleansing in Darfur, this comprehensive reference work covers all of the wars that have occurred in Africa since independence. This is done through a chronology broken down by country, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and cross-referenced dictionary entries covering the wars, conflicts, major political and military figures, child soldiers, mercenaries, and blood diamonds. 538pp, USA. SCARECROW.

Takes a broad comparative approach, from recent wars, insurgencies and violence in Angola, Brazil, and Iraq to the American Civil War, showing how wars have been paid for throughout history. Compares post-conflict reconstruction efforts in Mozambique and Iraq with how nineteenth-century America and twentieth-century Europe rebuilt their shattered societies and economies. Takes issue with two common perspectives on violence and war. The first is the liberal interpretation, according to which war is exclusively negative in its effects and peace is easily achieved through democratisation and free trade. In this view, modern liberal market democracies have outgrown violence, and only resort to it in self-defence. The second is a romantic, utopian view of violence. Transposed into political rhetoric, these two views are often directly opposed, as they are nowadays in Iraq and in the 'War on Terror'. Forges an alternative way of understanding the role of violence in the transition to capitalism and a global economy. Index, bib, notes, 329pp, UK. HURST.

How do disputants in Africa's civil wars - rebel movements, ethnic groups, state leaders - find security in the midst of anarchic situations? Why do some rebel movements pursue a secessionist agenda while others seek to overthrow the existing government? Under what circumstances will insurgents agree to share power? Proposing answers to these questions, Ian Spears offers a fresh perspective on the possibilities for ending violent political conflict in Africa. Spears focuses on the security predicaments of the disputants themselves as he closely examines the roots and dynamics of civil wars in Angola, Ethiopia, and Somalia. His original analysis leads to conclusions that challenge prevailing assumptions about the nature both of conflict resolution and of peace-building in post-conflict societies. 282pp, USA. LYNNE RIENNER.

Thirty eight ethnic conflicts are presented with a timeline and an extensive essay covering the conflict's details, historical background, management and significance. Conflicts studied include West Sahara, the Sudan, multinational West Africa, Rwanda and many others. BNS, 400pp, USA. GREENWOOD PRESS.

A documentation of inter state violence and the global responses to it. Ethnic conflicts, racism and genocide are discussed within their national and international perspectives. The author also looks at core elements of future global governance within its historical and sociological context and the role of international organisations in conflict resolution such as the UN, OSCE, COE, OAU, AU and OSA. Index, notes, xxvii, 415pp, UK. ASHGATE PUBLISHERS, 0754609561

The contributors explore why domestic and international efforts to re-establish order, human security, democratic processes, and an economy capable of developing, are proving so difficult to achieve. Also looks at the long term consequences of September 11 and on international stability. The focus is on three regions in particular, the Caucasus, Central America and the Horn of Africa. Index, notes, ref, maps, xiii, 234pp, UK. ZED BOOKS, 184277171X

Following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the largely Tutsi RPF government built a repressive regime after a short pretence at national reconciliation, while hundreds of thousands of Hutu, many of whom had perpetrated the genocide, fled to Zaire. The two parties clashed when the Rwandan government attacked the refugee camps in September 1996, forcing some of the refugees back home and killing others. Their military success led the victorious Rwandan forces to push their advantage and overthrow President Mobutu with the help of several African allies and the discreet support of the United States. The collapse of the Zairian regime marked the passing of an era and the implosion of the Cold War postcolonial order in Africa. As a result the heart of the African continent has been engulfed in a low intensity but high civilian casualty conflict involving seven countries directly and another seven indirectly. The international community has shown little interest, yet this massive conflict will probably play a key role in reshaping the continent's future in terms of border definition, governance and economic change, all of which are addressed in this work. Index, bib, notes, 529pp, UK. HURST.

A comprehensive study providing an overview and examining a military tradition that ranges from the highly sophisticated electronic, air and armour fighting between South Africa and Angola-Cuban forces, to the spears and machetes of the Rwandan genocide. Maps, notes, chron, bib, index, 235pp, UK. UCL PRESS.

The 1990s have brought unprecedented violence, economic decline and suffering for many African countries. Much of the optimism that greeted the independence decade of the 1960s, when Africa was called the continent of the future has turned into failure and disappointment. The increase in these conflicts has been blamed on several variables, including colonialism, ethnic diversity, end of the Cold War and economic decline. While many African countries have managed to maintain a modicum of peace, stability and growth, some have clearly failed woefully in this regard. This raises a fundamental question: How and why did some countries manage to avert internal wars while others did not? Index, bib, apps, 206pp, UK. ADONIS & ABBEY.

Updated edition, which includes 10 African civil wars to the 20 covered then, attempting to disentangle those from struggles for independence and wars of other types, and describing the conditions that started and (in fewer cases) put an end to the violence. Other entries cover liberation or other movements such as the ANC and MPLA which were involved in such wars, leading military and political figures, external countries or organizations which have attempted mediation or peacekeeping roles. Bib, 491pp, USA. SCARECROW.

A comprehensive volume examining 16 cases in the world where a continuing violent or semi violent conflict exists between a national minority inhabiting a region in a larger independent country. The African case considered is the Sudan. BNS, 222pp, UK. ASHGATE PUBLISHERS, 0754637727

Attempts to unravel the intricate tapestry of local conflicts and their links to wider regional instabilities in an area awash with guns and which is formally claimed by Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia. Index, bib, apps, maps, 206pp, UK. VITA HOUSE.

A wholly revised, updated and extended edition of `THE CIA: A Forgotten History' first published in 1986. The chapters are organised by country and describe the actions of the US government and CIA in each and their long term consequences. A good political and historical overview of American interventionist policy since the Second World War. Index, app, notes, 465pp. ZED BOOKS, 1842773690

Analyses the violence of recent African wars from the perspectives of African people who experienced and witnessed it. Central to it are the words of (male) Somali poets, Zulu singers, impoverished Kenyan youth, and white South African war veterans, as well as men and women trying to refashion their lives and relationships in post-war Mozambique and Rwanda. Purposefully interdisciplinary, this volume brings together scholarly approaches ranging from cultural and medical anthropology, social/cultural history, and cultural and performance studies. 266pp, NETHERLANDS. E J BRILL.

Interrogates conventional representations of Africa and African culture -- mainly in the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries -- with an emphasis on portrayals of conflict and peace. While Africa has experienced political and social turbulence throughout its history, more recent conflicts seem to reinforce the myth of barbarism across the continent: in Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Chad, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Sudan. The essays in this volume address reductive and stereotypical assumptions of post-colonial violence as tribal in nature, and offer instead various perspectives, across disciplinary boundaries, that foster a less fetishised, more contextualised understanding of African war, peace, and memory. 408pp, USA. UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER PRESS.

Conflict over natural resources has made Africa the focus of international attention, particularly during the last decade. From oil in Nigeria and diamonds in the Democratic Republic of Congo, to land in Zimbabwe and water in the Horn of Africa, the politics surrounding ownership, management, and control of natural resources has disrupted communities and increased external intervention in these countries. Such conflict has the potential to impact natural resource supply globally, with both local and wide-reaching consequences. The United States, for example, estimates that a quarter of its oil supply will come from Africa by 2015. This book offers a detailed look at conflict over various natural resources in several African countries, linking conflicts over these resources to wider questions of governance. Index, bib, notes, tables, 353pp, USA. UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER PRESS.

This invaluable guide is excellent for students, peace groups and activists. With tables, maps, case studies and quotes, it looks at how conflict escalates and ways it can be prevented. It examines the changing types of war, including the 'War on Terror' and ethnic conflict such as in Rwanda; the role of diplomacy and the UN, and what steps ordinary people are taking to rebuild communities. It also offers ideas and inspiration for creating lasting peace. 144pp, UK. NEW INTERNATIONALIST.

An anthropology of modern war and insurgency asking whether it is a specialised security issue or an aspect of social reality which cannot be understood outside of its wider social and political context. The contributors tackle recent conflicts in ten countries: Cambodia, Burkina Faso, Somalia, Guatemala, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Tibet and Bosnia. Index, bib, refs, x, 214pp, UK. JAMES CURREY PUBLISHERS.

Nowhere in the world is the demand for peace more prominent and challenging than in Africa. From state collapse and anarchy in Somalia to protracted wars and rampant corruption in the Congo; from bloody civil wars and extreme poverty in Sierra Leone to humanitarian crisis and authoritarianism in Sudan, the continent is the focus of growing political and media attention. This book presents the first comprehensive overview of conflict and peace across the continent. Bringing together a range of leading academics from Africa and beyond, this is a concise introduction to key themes of conflict resolution, peace-building, security and development, with an emphasis on the importance of indigenous Africa approaches to creating peace. Index, bib, 242pp, UK. ZED BOOKS.

A collection of essays looking at the increasingly central role of economics and resources in conflict and how market control is changing the focus of peace building. The authors discuss a wide range of issues such as the use and exploitation of natural resources in civil wars such as diamonds and oil in Sierra Leone, and how globalisation is enabling rival factions to finance their armies through international markets. Other case studies include Colombia, Sri Lanka, Kosovo and Papua New Guinea. Index, bib, notes, ix, 316pp, USA. LYNNE RIENNER, 1588261727

Using Liberia and Somalia as case studies, this book analyses how the post Cold War conflicts in these two countries and their management differed from what they would have been during the Cold War era. It shows for instance that while in Liberia the major powers appeared content to cede the management of the conflict to the sub-regional group, ECOMOG, in Somalia, the conflict appeared to be turned into an arena for simple military experiment without any of the old Cold War ideological rivalries playing any role in its trajectory or management. The book argues that the end of the Cold War offers an opportunity for the successful use of a new approach to conflict management in the continent, which would be anchored on traditional African diplomacy. 250pp, UK. ADONIS & ABBEY.

Provides a global and regional, guide with specific information on over 350 international conflicts that have occurred since World War Two. BNS, 400pp, USA. CQ PUBLISHING.

Parts of Africa experienc persistent violence and seemingly intractable conflicts. These violent conflicts have drawn researchers seeking to determine and explain why conflicts are prevalent, what makes them intensify, and how conflicts can be resolved. However, much of the literature on research methodology does not address the complexities of conducting research in the midst of violent conflict and massive ethnopolitical disputes. This book directly addresses these issues in case studies Angola, the DRC, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa. 190pp, JAPAN. UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSITY PRESS.

Researching violence and conflict can be challenging for a variety of reasons, including security risks to researchers and informants, restricted or lack of access to informants and field sites, and poor reliability of official data. Traditional methodological approaches may need to be adapted, and new methods may be called for. In addition, such research carries ethical challenges about representation of informants and information and possible use of the research for harmful ends. This book, drawing on research conducted throughout Africa in conflict zones and other insecure environments, considers the everyday dilemmas researchers face. It provides essential contributions to ongoing challenging debates about the use of alternative and mixed methods in social science research. 184pp, NETHERLANDS. BRILL.

Violent conflicts have exacted a heavy toll on Africa's societies, polities and economies. This book presents African scholars' views of why conflicts start in their countries, with essays on Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Kenya, Sudan, Uganda and in the Horn of Africa. Index, 244pp, UK. JAMES CURREY PUBLISHERS.

Explores the many and complex ways in which Africa has been implicated in the discourses and politics of September 11, 2001. Written by key scholars based in leading institutions in Canada, the United States, the Middle East and Africa, the volume interrogates the impact of post-9/11 politics on Africa from many disciplinary perspectives, including political science, sociology, history, anthropology, religious studies and cultural studies. 276pp, UK. ASHGATE.

An innovative ethnography focusing on war zones and their shadowy economies involving money laundering, blood diamonds and gun running. The author's eye witness reporting from conflict zones in Mozambique, Angola and Sri Lanka examines the deep politics of war and the global networks sustaining local conflict. Index, bib, notes, xiii, b/w illus, 293pp, USA. CALIFORNIA U P, 0520242416

An interdisciplinary study of the language, revenge and healing discussing in particular the work and responsibilities of truth commissions. The author looks at a variety of sources from Greek tragedy to Hamlet, from Kant to contemporary theories about retribution and from Babylonian law codes to the South African Truth and Reconciliation Report, arguing that starting afresh by drawing a line between past crimes and new governments is both unrealistic and unwise. BNS, 216pp, USA. UNIV. PRESS OF PENNSYLVANIA, 0812237978

A collection of essays presenting 15 case studies of African countries whose recent past has been shaped by conflict. The authors examine issues of history and ethnic tension. The countries studied are Angola. Botswana, Burundi, DCR, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland Uganda and Zimbabwe. Notes, 405pp, SOUTH AFRICA. DAVID PHILIP.

Drawing on fieldwork in inter alia South Africa, Sierra Leone and Rwanda, the contributors to this study argue that within specific cultures, violent acts are expressions of cultural codes imbued with great significance for victim and perpetrator alike, where violence becomes a form of cultural affirmation and expression in the face of a loss of tradition and dislocations of ethnic communities. Index, bib, 306pp, UK. JAMES CURREY PUBLISHERS.

An exploration of the crucial formative role of violence in shaping people's ideas about who they are in uncertain post colonial contexts. Using case studies, the contributors ask how everyday violence ties in with regional and political upheavals, and how violence is legitimised. Countries and topics discussed include ethnic identity in Kenya, civil war in Zimbabwe and the Sudan, politics of identity in Rwanda, South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and notions of war among the Tigreans of Ethiopia. Index, notes, refs, x, 261pp, UK. ROUTLEDGE.

Africa is tendentiously associated with violence in the popular and academic imagination alike. Written by leading authorities in postcolonial studies and African history, as well as highly promising emergent scholars, this book highlights political, social and cultural processes in Africa which incite violence or which facilitate its negotiation or negation through non-violent social practice. The chapters cover diverse historical periods ranging from fourteenth century Ethiopia and early twentieth century Cameroon, to contemporary analyses set in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Cameroon, the Ivory Coast and South Africa. It makes a crucial contribution to a revitalized understanding of the social and historical coordinates of violence - or its absence - in African settings. 256pp, UK. ROUTLEDGE.

Even though former fighters have been identified as a major source of insecurity, there have been few efforts to systematically examine why some ex-combatants re-engage in organized violence, while others do not. This book compares the presence or absence of organized violence in different ex-combatant communities former fighters that used to belong to the same armed faction and who share a common, horizontal identity based on shared war-and peace-time experiences in the Republic of Congo (ex-Cobras, Cocoyes and Ninjas) and Sierra Leone (ex-Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, Civil Defense Force and Revolutionary United Front). The main determinants of ex-combatant violence are whether former fighters have access to elites and to second-tier individuals such as former mid-level commanders who can act as intermediaries between the two. By utilizing relationships based on selective incentives and social networks, these two kinds of remobilizers are able to generate the needed enticements and feelings of affinity, trust or fear to convince ex-combatants to resort to arms. These findings demonstrate that the outbreak of ex-combatant violence can only be understood by more clearly incorporating an actor perspective, focusing on three levels of analysis: the elite, mid-level and grassroot. 224pp, UK. ROUTLEDGE.

The most up to date and comprehensive introduction to this subject. Structured for course use, with 11 chapters divided into three key sections: contexts, ingredients and responses. Fully illustrated with maps and tables of conflicts. 320pp, UK. POLITY PRESS.

A study of the role of trade in precipitating and fuelling conflict with particular emphasis on the regional dynamics that are created by war economies. The case studies presented are Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Bosnia. Index, bib, xiii, 271pp, USA. LYNNE RIENNER, 1588262111

Surveys the history of armed conflict in Africa in the period since decolonization and independence. The number of post-independence conflicts in Africa has been considerable, and this book introduces to readers a comprehensive analysis of their causes and character. Tracing the evolution of warfare from anti-colonial and anti-apartheid campaigns to complex conflicts in which factionalized armies, militias and rebel groups fight with each other and prey upon non-combatants, it allows the readers a new perspec-tive to understand violence on the continent. The book is written to appeal not only to students of history and African politics, but also to experts in the policy community, the military and humanitarian agencies. 296pp, UK. CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS.

Collection of testimonies by various writers and scholars who have experienced, or explored, the continents conflicts and woes, including how the disruptions shape artistic and literary production. The book is divided into two broad categories: in one, several writers speak directly, and with rich anecdotal details about the impact wars and conflicts have had in the formation of their experience and work; in the second, a number of scholars articulate how particular writers have assimilated the horrors of wars and conflicts in their literary creations. 192pp, UK. ADONIS & ABBEY.