Synopses & Reviews
In this fully revised edition top scholars in African politics address the effects that major currents in Africa and world politics have upon each other and explore the ramifications of this interconnection for contemporary theories of international and comparative politics.
The fifth edition focuses on engaging a changing world order. The nation-state as we know it is a legacy of European rule in Africa, and the primacy of the nation-state remains the bedrock of most contemporary theories of international relations. Yet in the fifth decade of Africas independence, this colonial inheritance has been challenged as never before by state weakness, internal and inter-state conflict, new gains in economic development, large investments by China and other G-20 countries, and internal and external demands for economic and political reform, with potentially far-reaching implications. Including new readings on the Sudan, the Great Lakes crisis, and bilateral vs. multilateral peacekeeping on the continent, this text remains an invaluable resource for students of African and world politics.
Review
"
Africa in World Politics is a collection of incisive essays on the major issues of a resurgent but troubled continent. It will be of great value to students, rsearchers, and policymakers. The contributors constitute a 'Dream Team' of scholars, development experts, and diplomats. The wealth of information and analyses provided, along with many helpful tables and charts, is a fitting response to the growing interest in African affairs."
Richard Joseph, Northwestern University
"Every chapter in this superbly revised and expanded fifth edition of Africa in World Politics will find a place on teh syllabi of courses on politics and international relations in Sub-Saharan Africa. Many of the most distinguished scholars in the field offer balanced, informed assesments of Africa's contemporary challenges and its changing relationship with the rest of the world."
Anne Pitcher, University of Michigan
From the Fourth Edition:
"This book will serve as the starting point for those seeking a comprehensive and topical guide to the most critical developments on the continent. The contributions are up-to-date, extensively researched, and written by pre-eminent scholars. This edition has been carefully updated and covers emerging themes such as the AIDS crisis, the impact of the war on terrorism, and Chinas markedly increased role on the continent. It will be welcomed by students of African international relations and politics."
Terrence Lyons, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University
"The fourth edition of Africa in World Politics: Reforming Political Order is the latest iteration of a highly successful book that has chronicled major issues on the continent. This volume features a notable set of scholars and practitioners who examine some of the most important issues facing Africa, including democratization, globalization, AIDs, and terrorism. The authors draw attention to the recent good news from Africa but realistically account for the many challenges that remain. Africa in World Politics is a fitting tribute to Don Rothchild, reflecting his deep and broad interests in Africa.
Jeffrey Herbst, Provost, Miami University
"This fourth edition highlights anew the complexities of African international affairs. A worthy tribute to its co-editor, the late Donald Rothchild, the volume's chapters, crafted by eminent and experienced authorities, explore every strata of influence and change in contemporary Africa's engagement with the world. It offers insights on the post Cold War dynamics of state building, democracy, conflict, alliances and terrorism as shaped by domestic groups, national and foreign governments, NGOs, and intergovernmental agencies ranging from the AU and NEPAD to the World Bank and the UN. No important question is unaddressed."
Raymond F. Hopkins, Swarthmore College
Synopsis
An updated investigation of the role of Africa in world affairs from a survey of contemporary international issues affecting the continent.
About the Author
John W. Harbeson is professor emeritus of political science in the Graduate School and at City College of the City University of New York and a professional lecturer at Johns Hopkins University, SAIS.
Donald Rothchild was professor of political science at the University of California at Davis.
Table of Contents
PART I: Engaging a Changing Global Order1. Engaging a Changing Global Order, John W. Harbeson
PART II: Historical Parameters
2. The Heritage of Colonialism, Crawford Young
3. Reflections on Africas Rocky Love-Hate Relationship with International Capital, Todd Moss
4. Africa and Other Civilizations: Conquest and Counter-Conquest, Ali A. Mazrui
PART III: African States and the State System
5. Democracy, Autocracy, and the Sub-Saharan African State, John W. Harbeson
6. In Pursuit of Authority: Civil Society and Rights-Based Discourses in Africa, Aili Mari Tripp
7. The International Factor in African Warfare, Will Reno
8. The Diplomacy of African Boundaries, I. William Zartman
9. The Changing Role of the AU Commission in Inter-African Relations: The Case of APSA and AGA, Carrie Manning
PART IV: Global Engagement
10. Bilateral vs. Multilateral Peacebuilding in Africa, Carrie Manning and Louis-Alexandre Berg
11. Sudan: A Fragile "Peace," Princeton N. Lyman
12. War in the Great Lakes Region, Filip Reyntjens
13. The Growth of China in Africa, Ian Taylor
14. Reconciling Sovereignty with Responsibility: A Basis for International Humanitarian Action, Francis M. Deng