Taylor William A. Contemporary Security Issues in Africa (1440851905)

This compelling book serves as a comprehensive resource for readers interested in contemporary security issues in Africa. It details the impact of complex challenges in Africa and explains why addressing them grows increasingly important.

Presenting both general overviews and specific case studies, this book provides an excellent introduction to contemporary security issues in Africa, home to more than thirty of the fifty most fragile nations in the world. It covers the last three decades of conflict on the continent, focusing on such topics as weak and failing states, ethnic conflict and civil wars, natural resources and environmental security, political violence and terrorism, piracy and maritime security, food security and poverty, international responses, and future prospects.

The core of the book comprises detailed analysis of the nexus between culture, politics, and security in Africa, while the volume as a whole examines key regional and transnational security issues affecting Africa and their implications at the state, regional, and international levels. The book explores the dynamic role that African nations play in influencing international security and also investigates and articulates factors heightening the importance of Africa's role in international affairs.

• Acknowledges principal terms, underlying concepts, and specific case studies in an exploratory overview of contemporary security issues in Africa
• Emphasizes the international and regional security threats caused by contemporary security issues in Africa as a continent as well as in the context of individual countries
• Employs a case study methodology, which should prove useful in a range of courses on topics including security studies, international relations, comparative politics, military history, and African history
• Examines linkages between various security issues, offering an integrated appraisal of how and why these issues impact one another while considering developments, trends, and future prospects