The Politics of War and the Culture of Violence: North South Essays

Ali A. Mazrui is arguably the leading African theorist on the role of violence in human affairs. This collection of essays illustrates his range. The spectrum of violence is from military coups and terrorism to nuclear proliferation, from individual assassinations to civil wars. Mazrui has lived in conflict-prone African countries, experienced life under military rule, and personally discussed problems of stability with leaders who have ranged from Nelson Mandela and Muammar Qaddafi to Idi Amin and Robert Mugabe. This volume of essays is a powerful illustration of both Mazrui s theoretical insights and his practical experience. No wonder he was the first to coin the term Pax-Africana on the eve of Africa s independence half-a-century ago. The potential audience for the book includes peace studies programs, courses on African politics, political Islam, terrorism and counter-terrorism, and global North-South relation