African Insurgencies: From the Colonial Era to the 21st Century

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Presenting a continent-wide comparative analysis of ethnic, political, and colonially based insurgencies, this text examines the causes, tactics, outcomes, and key individuals of African insurgent events and assesses a range of foreseeable outcomes in Africa's multiple regions of continuing political instability. Insurgencies continue to erupt in many nations of Africa. The techniques and intended purposes of today's insurgencies are evolutions of historical versions of insurgencies, long-standing strife among ethnic and political groups, and modern-era movements reflective of the ever-shrinking planet, leading to revolutions in the region. This book spans the African continent to address a diverse classification of insurgencies and revolutions, weaving them together thematically and enabling readers to make connections between their purposes, tactics, outcome, and impact. Providing researchers in African and security studies with a comprehensive body of work for further studies, this eminently readable work examines the many past and current insurgencies that have occurred in Africa, identifying their causes and predominantly common bases and rationales. Coauthored by an acclaimed scholar of African studies and a U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel with a master's degree in national security and strategic studies, this single-volume book provides an in-depth examination into the drivers, actors, tactics, weapons, intended outcomes, and sweeping consequences of the many events in Africa that have overturned existing rule or implemented rule where none existedand in a few cases, resulted in stabilization of a nation. Readers will better understand the causal, contextual, tactical, ideological, and philosophical factors that launch insurgencies through coverage of pre-colonial insurgencies; anti-colonial resistance and national liberation movements; separatist and irredentist movements; reformist, revolutionary, and Islamist insurgencies; and genocide, warlord, and proxy insurgencies. The book's last chapter discusses how insurgent movements might be prevented through better governance, or contained or defeated with diplomatic and/or military means.

Reviews

This encyclopedic review of conflict in colonial and post-colonial Africa provides a comprehensive, densely-packed introduction to conflicts throughout the continent today. As a historical primer, African Insurgencies provides useful background on the rise of Islamism and the role of religion in intra-African wars. * Marine Corps Gazette *

Author Bio

Richard A. Lobban Jr., PhD, is adjunct professor of African studies at the Naval War College and professor emeritus of anthropology at Rhode Island College. He has authored numerous works on African conflict. Lt. Col. Christopher H. Dalton is an active-duty Marine logistician who coauthored a volume on Libya with Richard A. Lobban.