Violence, political culture & development in Africa / edited by Preben Kaarsholm.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Kaarsholm, Preben, 1948-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Political violence--Africa--Congresses.

Political violence.

Social conditions.

Politics and government.

Africa--Politics and government--1960---Congresses.

Africa.

Africa--Social conditions--1960---Congresses.

Genre:

Conference papers and proceedings.

Physical Description:

xi, 208 pages ; 24 cm

Other Title:

Violence, political culture and development in Africa

Place of Publication:

Oxford : James Currey ; Athens : Ohio University Press ; Pietermaritzburg, South Africa : University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2006.

Summary:

It is remarkable how many transitions to democracy there have been in Africa in recent years. The number of countries holding competitive legislative elections has quadrupled since 1990. At the same time societies on the African continent have experienced major crises of violent conflict, war and genocide. The elected governments have not necessarily been able to achieve peaceful regulation of difference and contestation. Sub-Saharan Africa has provided spectacular examples of social order disintegrating, sometimes to the point of what is described as 'state failure' or 'state collapse'.

A team of historians, anthropologists and political scientists show the ways in which violence, political culture and development have interacted in recent African history. They use examples from societies across Africa to discuss a range of issues from 'warlord politics' to 'new wars' as outcomes of fundamental changes in social solidarity.

Contents:

1 States of Failure, Societies in Collapse?: Understandings of Violent Conflict in Africa / Preben Kaarsholm 1

2 Insurgencies in the Shadow of State Collapse / William Reno 25

3 A Societal View on Violence & War: Conflict & Militia Formation in Eastern Congo / Koen Vlassenroot 49

4 Debating the Rwandan Genocide / Nigel Eltringham 66

5 Darfur: Peace, Genocide & Crimes Against Humanity in Sudan / Douglas H. Johnson 92

6 Legacies of Violence in Matabeleland, Zimbabwe / Jocelyn Alexander 105

7 The Past as Contested Terrain: Commemorating New Sites of Memory in War-Torn Ethiopia / Alessandro Triulzi 122

8 Violence as Signifier: Politics & Generational Struggle in KwaZulu-Natal / Preben Kaarsholm 139

9 War, Violence & Videotapes: Media & Localised Ideoscapes of the Liberian Civil War / Mats Utas 161

10 Forced Labour & Civil War: Agrarian Underpinnings of the Sierra Leone Conflict / Paul Richards 181.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780896802513

0896802515

OCLC:

76941847