Among the world's most unstable regions, West Africa in the last decade has experienced a web of conflicts with profound and wide-ranging effects. West Africa's Security Challenges is the first comprehensive assessment of the resulting mix of setbacks and progress.

The authors provide a context for understanding the region's security dilemmas, highlighting the link between    More >

Reflecting on a half-century of often tumultuous transformation, a group of scholars, educators, and government, business, and civil society leaders discuss the trajectory of Ghana’s economic history. Their views center on three fundamental themes: structures and institutions in a postcolonial economy, the role of public policy, and stimulus and innovation.

Contributors: Anthony    More >

The tortuous road to John Agyekum Kufuor's presidency reflects Ghana's postcolonial political history, which has been dominated by military intervention.

Ivor Agyeman-Duah chronicles how the Oxford-educated Kufuor rose to become Ghana's deputy foreign minister, his later emergence as an opposition leader, and his subsequent election to the presidency in a peaceful, democratic transition as a    More >

This collection of contemporary love stories by women from Africa and the African Diaspora combines the tentative freshness of budding writers with the confidence of established and award-winning authors.

The anthology debunks preconceived notions about African women as impoverished victims, showing their strength, complexity, and diversity. The stories deal with a range of challenging    More >

Bored housewives, kept in seclusion, smuggling in Harlequin romances. Modish young men transformed into Islamic militants in beards and white robes. A baker unwittingly caught in a web of intrigue, an imam whose faith is tested by urban corruption, a lonely divorcee accused of prostitution—all take part in Merzak Allouache's compelling novel of a society on the brink of    More >

Regionalism, Ahmad Aly argues persuasively, is the most appropriate strategy for the achievement of autonomous, self-sustained development in Africa.

Aly traces the causes of the failures thus far of attempts at economic cooperation on the continent, citing in particular the adoption of inappropriate integration schemes, the multiplicity of overlapping arrangements, the dominance of    More >

This invaluable bilingual collection of more than 7,000 Akan proverbs reveals the nuances of Akan and Asante life and culture. Kwame Anthony Appiah’s introduction to the volume contextualizes the proverbs, revealing the wit and wisdom of the Akan language and demonstrating how the proverbs can be compared    More >

A gentle novel about the enduring conflict between young and old, new and traditional, foreign and native.

Badian tells the story of a village family in an African country under French rule. The family's father and the eldest son revere the customs of their ancestors, while the younger children are strongly attracted by European ways and ideas. The daughter, Kany, has fallen in    More >

In this fresh look at the troubled, passionate work of an important South African writer and social critic, Balutansky explores Alex La Guma’s five novels in all their dimensions.

Balutansky notes La Guma’s belief that, in order to lead a fulfilling existence, an individual must go beyond introspection and adopt a life that is organized around unity, caring, and sharing.    More >

From the ongoing war in Angola, to sporadic instability in Zimbabwe and Lesotho, to the conflict in Congo, to issues of land reform and the ravages of AIDS, southern Africa faces varied and complex threats to its peace and security. The authors of From Cape to Congo assess the region's major security challenges, as well as the roles of local, regional, and external actors in managing them. Their    More >

Although both media and scholarly attention to the use of child labor has focused on Asia and Latin America, the highest incidence of the practice is found in Africa, where one in three children works. Loretta Bass presents a comprehensive, systematic study of child labor in sub-Saharan Africa.

Bass offers a window on the lives of Africa's children workers, a view informed by    More >

1999 Choice Outstanding Academic Book!

The authors present a wide range of approaches: from preparing African cuisines as a way to understand people-environment relations, to using the Internet to develop a virtual art history exhibit; from viewing an    More >

Making a case for the regional distinctiveness of southern Africa, this new text systematically examines politics and society in the region.

The authors first introduce the themes and concepts that guide their analysis. Then, in each of eight country studies, they trace the country's political history (beginning with the precolonial period) and analyze state structures, political and social    More >

Working together across religious, ethnic, and class divisions, African women are helping to formulate legislation and foster democracies more inclusive of womens' interests. Women in African Parliaments explores this phenomenon, examining the impact and experiences of African women as they seek increased representation in national legislatures.

The authors' carefully    More >

Both the obstacles to governance and the opportunities for democratization confronted in East Africa—with its geostrategic importance, porous borders, governments heavily dependent on foreign aid, and some of Africa's longest running conflicts—provide valuable insights into how good governance policies can be implemented effectively throughout the developing world. East Africa and    More >

Mongo Beti’s imaginative resources have been compared with those of William Faulkner and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This sequel to Beti’s Remember Ruben, set during the first year of Cameroonian independence, continues the story of the revolutionary partisan Mor- Zamba after the defeat of the Rubenists by the colonialist-backed African pols.    More >

At the center of many of Africa's violent conflicts are movements that do not seem to fit any established theories of armed resistance. African Guerrillas offers new models for understanding these movements, eschewing one-dimensional explanations.

The authors build on—and in some cases debate—insights provided in Christopher Clapham's groundbreaking work.    More >

Study after study of women in the Muslim world has focused primarily on Middle Eastern societies, usually emphasizing the sexual ideology of a reified Islam. This book rounds out that view, exploring the status, roles, and contributions of Muslim women not only in the Middle East, but also in Africa and Asia, including post-Soviet Central Asia.

The authors, many of them from the    More >

Nile Baby tells the story of two quirky young friends who discover a 90-year-old fetus in the laboratory storeroom of their school. Alice and Arnie set out on two very different journeys to return the specimen to its rightful home, leading them to discover not only their absent fathers, but also other buried and surprising roots. Reunited at the end of their adventures, they find that the    More >

Because of, and at times in spite of, the distinct quality of Portuguese colonial policy, an original and vibrant lusophone literature exists today in Africa. Burness introduces the too-little- known work of Angola’s Luandino Viera, Agostinho Neto, Geraldo Bessa Victor, and Mario Antonio, Cape Verde’s Baltasar Lopes, and Mozambique’s Luis Bernardo Honwana.

More >

This collection of fiction and poetry, written by members of the military forces sent by Castro to help defeat the South Africa-backed regime in Angola, reflects the realities of painful years in Africa. The material is laced together by Burness’ narrative of past and present wars and rebellions.

These poems of lamentation and celebration were written and dedicated to individuals—some famous, some unknown—whose lives touched the author in a profound way.  “I discovered,” writes Busia, “that these poems when placed together not only record the lives of those to whom they are dedicated, but in the end also trace my own.”    More >

Although relatively new to Africa, maize has recently replaced cassava as the continent's most important food crop, and increased maize production has the potential of helping to reverse Africa's food crisis. This book presents the results of extensive field research on the maize economy in six African countries, as well as broader-based studies of maize research and extension (R&E), soil    More >

Callaway and Creevey explore the impact of Islam on the lives of West African women, particularly (but not exclusively) in Nigeria and Senegal.

Focusing on whether Islam acts as a barrier to women in the process of social change and development, they address a series of important questions: Is the pattern of training and education different for Muslim and non-Muslim girls? Comparatively, what    More >

At a time when multiparty reforms were sweeping the globe, Uganda opted for a controversial, no-party democratic model. The country’s politics over the past two decades thus provide an extraordinary opportunity for addressing the many questions—theoretical, empirical, and comparative—that the notion of a no-party system of elected government raises. Carbone’s analysis of    More >

Recognized as the textbook on African politics, as well as an excellent resource for scholars, Politics and Society in Contemporary Africa analyzes the complexities and diversities of the African continent since independence.

The authors provide a basic knowledge of political events; political structures, processes, problems, and trends; political economy; and international    More >

Why did the democratic experiment launched in the Republic of Congo in 1991 fail so dramatically in 1997? Why has it not been seriously resumed since then? In tackling these complex questions, John Clark provides a thorough analysis of more than fifteen years of Congolese politics.

Clark explores a series of logical hypotheses regarding why democracy failed to take root in    More >

The still contentious issues of the Mau Mau revolt are thrown into stark relief by the Mau Mau Memoirs, personal accounts by Kenyans of the events of that violent period. Marshall Clough deftly analyzes these memoirs, making a strong case for not only their historical value, but also their role in the struggle to define Mau Mau within Kenyan historiography and politics.    More >

Introducing the development of West African popular music, Collins begins with a discussion with the early Highlife bands. He then traces the growth and diversification of various popular musical styles, including comic opera, Dagomba Simpa folk, and the current Afro-beat and Juju.

The text includes interviews with such influential musicians as Kwaa Mensah, Konimo, Kofi Ghanaba, and    More >

In this witty and ironic reversal of the typical colonial travelogue, Dadié recounts the journey of a bemused African traveler who settles in Rome, continuing his inquiries into the fundamental nature of humankind. Part conqueror, part pilgrim, part worshipper, and part critic, the protagonist compares Roman and African customs, traditions, history, and above all, personalities.    More >

This sequel to the award-winning Nervous Conditions traces Tambu's continuing quest to redefine the personal, political, and historical forces at work in her complex world. 

Dangaremba's acclaimed first novel tells of the coming-of-age of Tambu and, through her, also offers a profound portrait of African society. In awarding Nervous Conditions the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Africa in 1989, the judges described the book as "a beautiful and sensitive exploration of the plight and struggle of an African people.... A distinguishing feature of this work    More >

To update this rich, informative collection of life histories, Davison returned to Mutira in 1989, 1992, and 1994, documenting the changes occurring since her 1984 study. Six of the seven life histories in the first edition have been expanded to reflect the events of the last decade. Two new introductory chapters frame the life histories within the context both of the significant macrolevel    More >

Since 1986, Nigeria has been struggling without success to return to a civilian, democratic form of government: as political parties, presidential candidates, economic reform programs, and top military officers have come and gone, the country has become mired in an authoritarian limbo, a transition without end. This wide-ranging study examines the rise and fall of democratic transition and    More >

Traditional, urban Egyptian women—baladi women—extol themselves with the proverb, "A baladi woman can play with an egg and a stone without breaking the egg." Evelyn Early illustrates this and other expressions of baladi women's self-identity by observing and recording their everyday discourse and how these women—who consider themselves destitute yet savvy—handle    More >

Now Available in Paperback!

The multilateral banks are powerful forces in the international community, providing loans of more than $250 billion to developing countries over the last half-century. The best-known of these, the World Bank, has been studied extensively, but the "regional development banks" are little understood, even within their own geographic regions.

This book looks specifically at the policies    More >

Intercultural relations have revolved around the River Nile throughout recorded history: sharing the river's waters, Egyptians, Ethiopians, and Sudanese have developed rich dialogues of mutual cultural enrichment, as well as misconceptions and conflicts. This volume represents a rigorous scholarly attempt to trace these complex relations, exploring the multifaceted representations of the Nile,    More >

What is the significance of Islam's growing strength in Ethiopia? And what is the impetus for the Saudi financing of hundreds of new mosques and schools in the country, the establishment of welfare organizations, and the spread of the Arabic language? Haggai Erlich explores the interplay of religion and international politics as it has shaped the development of modern Ethiopia and Saudi    More >

The ongoing Egyptian-Ethiopian dispute over the Nile waters is potentially one of the most difficult issues on the current international agenda, central to the very life of the two countries. Analyzing the context of the dispute across a span of more than a thousand years, The Cross and the River delves into the heart of both countries' identities and cultures.

Erlich deftly    More >

The trend toward subnationalist autonomy—and away from the development of singular, state-centric political systems based on the Western model—is one of the most striking phenomena in Africa today. Joshua Forrest analyzes the expansion of ethnic subnationalist movements in the postcolonial period, the reasons behind their growth, and their implications for African    More >

This in-depth investigation of the role that local news media play in Central African conflicts combines theoretical analysis with case studies from nine African countries: Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, the Republic of Congo, and Rwanda.

Each case study presents a comprehensive discussion    More >

The Making of Contemporary Africa provides a succinct introduction to the history of modern Africa, incorporating a refreshing reinterpretation of developments in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as well as a critical appraisal of the best scholarship of recent years.

This second edition is fully updated, with two new chapters focusing on the revolutionary process in southern    More >

Distinguished scholars analyze the plays, poetry, and prose of Soyinka, winner of the Nobel Prize for literature in 1986. Introductory essays trace Soyinka’s career and place his work in the general context of African literature; the book also includes a definitive bibliography of his work and a chronology of his publications.

Thoroughly updated to reflect recent events and trendsincluding Africa and the war on terror, progress and problems in democratization, advances by women in politics, developments in the fight against AIDS, the growing influence of China, the establishment of the African Union, and much more—this new edition of Understanding Contemporary Africa treats the range of issues facing the    More >

Using insights from feminist theory and political economy, Gordon examines the implications for women of current economic and political reform efforts in Africa.

Much of the work on women in Africa argues that patriarchy and capitalism have collaborated in the exploitation and control of women to support dependent capitalist development; therefore, both are antithetical to the interests of    More >

Was South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) a "miracle" that depended on the unique leadership of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu? Or does it provide a working model for other traumatized nations? Addressing these questions, Lyn Graybill explores the political origins, theological underpinnings, and major achievements of the world's most ambitious truth    More >

The West African town of Maradi, capital of a prestigious nineteenth century Hausa chiefdom, became a trading center during the colonial period, and after Niger's independence in 1960, its prosperity and growth accelerated. Maradi's population increase (from 9,000 inhabitants in 1954 to nearly 100,000 by 1986) was accompanied by rapid social change, including the emergence of a rich business class    More >

Central to the development strategies of virtually all the sub-Saharan economies, public enterprises are nonetheless perceived as inefficient and unprofitable. Barbara Grosh examines the public enterprise system in Kenya and shows that, while average performance has indeed been poor, there has been a broad range of results—from excellent to abysmal—and many firms have performed well    More >

After more than a decade of reform efforts in Africa, much of the optimism over the continent's prospects has been replaced by widespread "Afropessimism." But to what extent is either view well founded? Democratic Reform in Africa plumbs the key issues in the contemporary African experience—including intrastate conflict, corruption, and the development of civil    More >

Issues of racial discrimination, imperialist exploitation, and accuracy of observation have long interested Conrad’s critics. As a European writing about imperialism in exotic lands, Conrad offered a vivid, but subjective account of the confrontations between the cultures and peoples of East and West. Though some in Africa have condemned his novels as racist, the books have been used as    More >

This seminal book examines the potential value of the concept of civil society for enhancing the current understanding of state-society relations in Africa. The authors review the meanings of civil society in political philosophy, as well as alternative theoretical approaches to employing the concept in African settings. Considering both the patterns of emerging civil society in Africa and issues    More >

Some of the best college teachers have found novels to be extremely effective assignments in courses addressing various aspects of African studies. Here, two dozen of those teachers describe their favorite African novels—drawn from all over the continent—and share their experiences in using them in the classroom.

Each contributor discusses why a particular novel works well with    More >

Although he was a staunch supporter of French colonialism, Paul Hazoumé in his realistic, sweeping narrative captures the customs and traditions—the soul—of Dahomey. This historical novel, set in the first half of the nineteenth century, depicts a proud and powerful nation at a turning point in its long pattern of wars, slave trade, and human sacrifices—practices that,    More >

Jonathan Hill explores the multiple causes of two decades of profound political change, social and economic upheaval, and bitter conflict in postindependence Algeria.

Hill focuses on the relationship between identity and sociopolitical stability as he examines the trajectory of Algerian nation building.How did French colonization and the war of liberation    More >

Sierra Leone's bitter experience with civil war garnered international attention only after the May 1997 coup, though the conflict between the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and successive governments has raged for at least a decadeagainst the backdrop of more than three decades of progressive state collapse. John Hirsch traces Sierra Leone's downward spiral, drawing on his first-hand    More >

A collection of forty-two poems that depict the pain and pathos, the political and personal struggles that marked South Africa during apartheid. House is acutely sensitive to the sometimes subtle, sometimes explosive tensions of her homeland—and to the hope that must accompany any movement toward liberation.

Eighteen full-page drawings by Selma Waldman are presented as visual    More >

This original work examines three potential options for increasing state security in contemporary Africa: regional military groupings, private security companies, and a continent-wide, professional peacekeeping force.

Howe explores these alternatives within the larger context of why African militaries have proven incapable of handling new types of insurgency; how the failed intervention in    More >

Although governance has been the focus of a considerable body of literature on democratic transitions and consolidation, data to support the claim that the concept is a useful one has been lacking. Now, however, Making Sense of Governance clearly shows the utility of research on governance, presenting empirical evidence from sixteen developing countries.

The authors    More >

Embroiled in civil war since independence, Sudan has also suffered from the failure of both regional and international actors to fully come to terms with the scope of the complex issues involved. Sudan: The Elusive Quest for Peace contributes to a fuller understanding of those issues, exploring the factors that have contributed to the conflict from the days following independence to the    More >

Under apartheid, coloured people in South Africa were not "white enough." Now, some fear that they are not "black enough" to benefit from a democratic South Africa, as perhaps reflected in the recent local elections in the Western Cape. How in fact do coloured communities fit into the "rainbow nation" described by President Nelson Mandela in the opening chapter of    More >

In the decade-and-a-half since the first edition of this book was written, there have been dramatic changes both in the town of Aswan and among the devoutly Muslim Nubians of the of West Aswan. Anne Jennings’s revised and updated ethnography reflects those changes and also incorporates new material from archaeological/historical research and new literature on the impact of tourism, the work    More >

The long-running conflict over the sovereignty of Western Sahara has involved all the states of northwest Africa and many beyond since Spain ceded the territory to Morocco and Mauritania in 1976. Erik Jensen traces the evolution of the conflict—from its colonial roots to its present manifestation as a political stalemate.

Jensen reviews the history of the dispute, describes the quest by    More >

This seminal volume explores the most important dimensions of state formation and erosion, social conflict, and the gains and setbacks in democratization in contemporary Africa. The results of nearly a decade of research, reflection, and collegial interaction, the collection delineates the dominant patterns of political restructuring since the upheavals of the early 1990s.

Despite hundreds of billions of dollars spent on foreign aid to sub-Saharan Africa, a sure path to growth and development has not yet been found—and each new heralded approach has crumbled amid regrets and recriminations. The authors of Smart Aid for African Development provide critical assessments of the main components of foreign assistance, considering how smarter use can be made    More >

Population growth and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly important, and intertwined, issues in Southern Africa. The authors of this book warn that unless population growth is forestalled, the number of people in the region is likely to double in less than thirty years—placing enormous pressures on available farmland, job creation, shelter, educational systems, public    More >

South Africa in Southern Africa critically examines the dynamics of political change and conflict in South Africa in both the domestic and international arenas. The assumption that guides the book is that, in order to understand the process of change that is currently unfolding in South Africa, one must understand not only the patterns of race, class, clientelism, and culture inside the    More >

Women and Development in Africa explores gender issues in the context of Africa's generally poor economic performance.

Kevane begins with a broad discussion of the sources of underdevelopment in Africa and the role of gender in economic transactions. He then presents solid evidence on the gendered realities of land rights, the control of labor, bargaining power within    More >

This comprehensive treatment of the interplay between domestic and international politics analyzes efforts by African states to manage their external relations amid seismic shifts in the internal, regional, and global environments. The authors' nuanced analysis of foreign policy issues and themes traverses the continent, identifying patterns of change, examining constraints, and giving careful    More >

The site of genocide in Rwanda, recurrent cycles of communal massacre, deepening poverty, state fragmentation, and massive displacement of civilians, is Africa's Great Lakes region finally moving away from decades of decay and destruction, or is it fated to remain mired in interminable strife? The authors of Security Dynamics in Africa's Great Lakes Region explore the sources of conflict    More >

Existing political economy analyses of the arguments for and against imposing economic sanctions against South Africa, however astute, suffer from a lack of empirical analysis at any but the most descriptive level. Professor Khan has developed a new approach to the topic of the sanctions, combining the imperatives of capital accumulation and growth in South Africa with the particular political and    More >

In this accessible treatment of child labor in Africa, straightforward prose is enriched throughout with photographs that give a human face to the issues involved.

The authors draw on sources ranging from scholarly studies to children's own voices. After providing a general background to the topic—debunking myths in the process—they describe the work typically done    More >

This comprehensive, up-to-date bibliography covers nearly 3,000 English-language books and articles on Muslim women throughout the world. Works are listed alphabetically by author, with an extensive index including both geographical and topical headings.

A special feature of the bibliography is its annotated list of the 50 "most highly recommended" books and articles; the result of a    More >

This ethnographic study of Cape Verde tackles critical development issues: the struggle for self–sufficient food security, the tension between agricultural production and natural resource sustainability, and the appropriate role of government policy in food production and natural resource management.

Cape Verde has moved into an ecological imbalance between the sustainable production    More >

Tackling a fundamental question in the study of contemporary African politics, Borders, Nationalism, and the African State systematically and comparatively examines the impact of colonial borders on the intertwined trajectories of ethnic conflict and state development.

The authors combine case studies (Congo, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, and Sudan) with thematic chapters to    More >

Choice Outstanding Academic Book!

The fourteen countries in west and equatorial Africa that formed the heart of what was once France's African colonial empire?all independent now for more than four decades?still retain French as an official language, remain attached to French culture, and maintain political links with France. Each country, however, has developed its    More >

In the face of increasing economic globalization, the countries of southern Africa have made commitments to enhanced regional development and the integration of their economies. Margaret Lee examines the challenges to regionalism in southern Africa, providing a critical assessment of the prospects for successful implementation.

Lee's detailed study of the processes driving (or    More >

This thoughtful discussion probes the international roots of Africa's civil conflicts and lackluster economies. Analyzing an unwitting system that creates a set of incentives inimical to development, the authors offer a new way of thinking about Africa's development dilemmas and the policy options for addressing them.

Weak states, aid dependence, crushing debt, and enclave    More >

This invaluable research tool is a systematic, comprehensive analysis of books, monographs, journals, and edited volumes dealing with African political affairs and socioeconomic development.

The bibliography contains more than 16,000 citations (both English and French sources are included) covering material published from 1981 through 1990. Chapters in edited volumes are treated as individual    More >

Long before the September 11 attacks galvanized Western attention on what has variously been called political Islam, Islamic fundamentalism, and Islamism, African nations with sizeable Muslim populations were experiencing significant transformations in the relationship between religion and state. Political Islam in West Africa explores those ongoing transformations in key countries of the    More >

In the ongoing battle against global poverty, the countries of Africa continue to present the greatest challenge. African Development offers a comprehensive introduction to the issues, actors, and institutions interacting across the diverse continent.

Each chapter is organized around three fundamental questions: Where are we now? How did we get to this point? What are    More >

Focusing on the ways in which men are produced, represented, and problematized in African literary and other cultural expression, Masculinities in African Literary and Cultural Texts represents a ground-breaking intervention in a field that is largely woman-centered. The book, with its multigenre approach, will serve as a vital and much-needed resource for both scholars and    More >

Solomon Mutswairo is one of southern Africa’s most prominent contemporary writers. Here, he gives us a historical novel about Zimbabwe’s famed nineteenth-century prophet, Chaminuka, a man who sacrificed his life for the cause of peace.

Mutswairo tells a tragic tale about deception and the dislocation caused by the “divide and conquer” strategies    More >

Tracing the trajectory of postcolonial politics, Makau Mutua maps the political forces that have shaped contemporary Kenya. He also critically explores efforts on the part of both civil society and the political opposition to reform the state. Analyzing the tortuous efforts since independence to create a sustainable, democratic state, he uses the struggle over constitutional reform as a window    More >

The Cry of Winnie Mandela is a powerful story that links the lives of four "ordinary" South African women with the life of Winnie Mandela. It is the story of five women who wait for their husbands during the long years of struggle against apartheid.

Despite the prominent role that competition over natural resources has played in some of Africa's most intractable conflicts, little research has been devoted to what the economic dimensions of armed conflict mean for peace operations and efforts to reconstruct war-torn states. Redressing this gap, this volume analyzes the challenges that the war economy posed, and continues to pose, for    More >

Following on his awarding-winning Mating Birds, Lewis Nkosi's second novel is a tour de force. Nkosi takes us from mansions to mountain hideouts, introducing a dazzling array of characters. Switching from comedy to sensitive observation to action, and with double-dealing operatives and political shenanigans, Underground People blends elements of a political thriller in a    More >

Amma Darko is revealed in this important collection as a novelist whose work reflects both compelling story-telling talent and unflinching criticism of what Ghana has become as its people are increasingly enmeshed in the network of global capitalism.

The authors critically situate Darko's work within the context of postindependence Ghanaian and other African writers such as Ayi Kwei    More >

The first in a series of "inside" histories, Peacekeeping in Sierra Leone relates how a small country—one insignificant in the strategic considerations of the world powers—propelled the United Nations to center stage in a crisis that called its very authority into serious question; and how the UN mission in Sierra Leone was transformed from its nadir into what is now    More >

Why have some decentralization reforms led to viable systems of local governance in Africa, while others have failed? Exploring this question, the authors outline the key issues involved, provide historical context, and identify the factors that have encouraged or discouraged success.

Detailed studies of seven African states are grounded in a common analytical framework, one    More >

Wambui Waiyaki Otieno, Kenyan activist and wife of the late S.M. Otieno, recounts her involvement in nearly a half-century of East African politics: her years in the Mau Mau movement, her role in women’s organizations under the Kenyatta and the Moi regimes, and the controversy surrounding her husband’s burial. Her personal narratives and anecdotes paint not only a detailed    More >

Why do some African states commit more effectively than others to the fight against AIDS? How do power inequalities and decisionmaking institutions shape Africa's ability to combat the disease? Within the context of debates about the nature of the African state, its relations with civil society, and its reliance on external donors, Amy Patterson presents a systematic study of African state efforts    More >

When African countries embarked on the first round of structural adjustments in the 1980s and 1990s, there was little opportunity to first determine what programs would work where—instead, governments reluctantly implemented policies that were imposed by international financial institutions and based on theoretical models. The ensuing process was eventful—and the results    More >

Though studies of capitalism in Africa traditionally focus on the activities of foreign investment, in Cote d'Ivoire capitalist development has been largely the work of a domestic class of entrepreneurs.

This book traces the history of Cote d'Ivoire's capitalist development, beginning with early European contact and bringing the story up to the present decade. Drawing on new data, Rapley's    More >

The dramatic reconfigurations of political authority taking place in Africa—what many term "warlordism" or "state failure"—call for an exploration of the origins of these changes, the likelihood of their durability, and their implications for the continent's regional system of states.

Reno argues that the end of the Cold War as a particular configuration of the    More >

Libya's enigmatic Muammar Qaddafi has demonstrated a perhaps unprecedented capacity for reinvention and survival, particularly in the realm of foreign policy. Yehudit Ronen traces Libya's sometimes tortuous trajectory in international affairs across the four decades of Qaddafi's leadership.

Ronen addresses a range of critical issues: oil politics, foreign military adventurism, WMDs,    More >

Is Nigeria, with its vast wealth in both human and natural resources, on the path to realizing its enormous potential? Or is it in danger of becoming a failed state? Crafting the New Nigeria considers the challenges that the country's leadership now faces, offering rich—and sobering—analyses of Nigeria's current political and economic systems.    More >

Reflecting the debate between state-centered and human-security approaches to security strategy, Africa-US Relations explores the interactions between the US and African countries in a wide spectrum of key arenas.

The authors range from such traditional security issues as peacekeeping and terrorism to concerns with HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation, aid policies, and    More >

Salih's shocking and beautiful novel reveals much about the people on each side of a cultural divide. A brilliant Sudanese student takes his mix of anger and obsession with the West to London, where he has affairs with women who are similarly obsessed with the mysterious East. Life, ecstasy, and death share the same moment in time. First published in Arabic in 1969.    More >

Acclaimed in both its English translation and its original Arabic version, the title work in this collection has been made into a film, while a second piece, “A Handful of Dates,” is among the most anthologized of modern short stories.    More >

A Month and a Day & Letters presents an edited version of "A Detention Diary," Ken Saro-Wiwa's own record of his arrest in July 1993 and the story of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People and the struggle against the Nigerian military dictatorship. Saro-Wiwa's criticisms of the corrupt regime eventually led to his execution, along with eight others, in November    More >

Can a stable political order be established in Liberia in the aftermath of the collapse of governance and a horrendous period of pillage and carnage? Amos Sawyer argues that the task can indeed be accomplished—but only in the context of new constitutional arrangements and governing institutions that differ markedly from those of the past.

Sawyer draws deeply on his    More >

Shehu Musa Yar'Adua was a first-hand participant in some of Nigeria's most pivotal moments since independence. This book, set against the backdrop of Nigerian history, tells the inside story of Yar'Adua's life and his vision for his country. Tracing events from Yar'Adua's childhood to his unexplained death in prison during General Abacha's regime—and rich with previously unavailable    More >

Though the issue of female genital cutting, or "circumcision," has become a nexus for debates on cultural relativism, human rights, patriarchal oppression, racism, and Western imperialism, the literature has been separated by diverse fields of study. In contrast, this volume brings together contributors from anthropology, public health, political science, demography, history, and    More >

These essays are the work of two scholars who have been closely associated with the field of African studies and with one another for more than three decades. During this period, each in his own way dissented from formulations associated with modernization and functionalist theories, which were pervasive when they began their studies. In major books, Sklar explored the political implications of    More >

The Blind Kingdom is a collection of short stories and poetic texts woven together to illustrate an African society on the brink of collapse. Writing in 1960 at a time when Côte d’Ivoire was in chaos after declaring its independence from France, Véronique Tadjo explores themes of love, independence, and renewal as she creates a new world of hope and creativity. Her    More >

Although China denies that it harbors ambitions to become a superpower, its leadership has made clear its intention that the country be a major player in the global arena. Against this backdrop,  Ian Taylor explores the nature and implications of China’s burgeoning role in Africa.

Taylor argues that Beijing is using Africa not    More >

Enthusiastically embraced by African presidents, G-7 leaders, and the UN General Assembly alike, the New Partnership for Africa's Development has been advanced as the vehicle that will vitalize the continent's economies. Ian Taylor critically explores just what Nepad is, and what potential it has—or lacks—for promoting African development.

Why are productive, development-supporting relations between business and government still so rare in Africa? Scott Taylor addresses this question, examining state-business coalitions as they emerge, and endure or collapse, in three representative countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

Taylor illuminates three possible trajectories: an abortive state-business coalition, as in    More >

The pattern of migrants maintaining strong ties with their home communities is particularly common in sub-Saharan Africa, where it has important social, cultural, political, and economic implications. Lillian Trager explores the significance of hometown connections for civil society and local development in Nigeria. Rich ethnographic description and case studies illustrate the links that the Ijesa    More >

In this analysis of South Africa's postapartheid security system, Peter Vale moves beyond a realist discussion of interacting states to examine southern Africa as an integrated whole.

Vale argues that, despite South Africa's manipulation of state structures and elites in the region for its own ends, the suffering endured under the apartheid regime drew the region together at the    More >

That judicial institutions are important for emerging democracies leaves little (if any) room for debate. But to what extent do judiciaries in these new democracies maintain their autonomy? And what accounts for varying levels of autonomy across states? Drawing on the cases of Malawi, Zambia, and Namibia—and offering a novel analytical framework—Peter VonDoepp illuminates why power    More >

Why are more women than men in South Africa HIV positive? What explains the exponential growth of AIDS in the country? How is HIV/AIDS understood in various cultural belief systems? What can be done about the epidemic? This powerful book—incorporating evocative photographs and the voices of scholars, practitioners, and victims of the epidemic—looks at the social, cultural, and    More >

Why do national patterns of Internet expansion differ so greatly throughout Africa? To what extent do politics trump technology? Who are the "information champions" in the various African states? Addressing these and related questions, Negotiating the Net in Africa explores the politics, economics, and technology of Internet diffusion across the continent.

The    More >

The collapse of states—a phenomenon that goes far beyond rebellion or the change of regimes to involve the literal implosion of structures of authority and legitimacy—has until now received little scholarly attention, despite the fact that a number of states have actually ceased to exist as entities in the aftermath of the collapse of the dominant international system.

The authors    More >