African conflicts and Informal Power Big Men and Networks
In the aftermath of an armed conflict in Africa, the international community both produces and demands from local partners a variety of blueprints for reconstructing state and society. The aim is to re-formalize the state after what is viewed as a period of fragmentation. In reality, African economi...
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| Other Authors: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Book Chapter |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Uppsala; London
The Nordic Africa Institute and Zed Books (Bloomsbury)
2012
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| Series: | Africa Now
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | DOAB: download the publication DOAB: description of the publication |
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| Summary: | In the aftermath of an armed conflict in Africa, the international community both produces and demands from local partners a variety of blueprints for reconstructing state and society. The aim is to re-formalize the state after what is viewed as a period of fragmentation. In reality, African economies and polities are very much informal in character, with informal actors, including so-called Big Men, often using their positions in the formal structure as a means to reach their own goals. Through a variety of in-depth case studies, including the DRC, Sierra Leone and Liberia, this comprehensive volume shows how important informal political and economic networks are in many of the continent's conflict areas. Moreover, it demonstrates that without a proper understanding of the impact of these networks, attempts to formalize African states, particularly those emerging from wars, will be in vain. |
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| Physical Description: | 1 electronic resource (255 p.) |
| ISBN: | 9781350218130 9781848138841 9781848138827 9781848138834 9781848138858 |
| Access: | Open Access |