Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War

In Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War--interdisciplinary in approach and intended for nonspecialists--Elizabeth Schmidt provides a new framework for thinking about foreign political and military intervention in Africa, its purposes, and its consequences. She focuses on the quarter century following the Cold War (1991-2017), when neighboring states and subregional, regional, and global organizations and networks joined extracontinental powers in support of diverse forces in the war-making and peace-building processes. During this period, two rationales were used to justify intervention: a response to instability, with the corollary of responsibility to protect, and the war on terror.Often overlooked in discussions of poverty and violence in Africa is the fact that many of the challenges facing the continent today are rooted in colonial political and economic practices, in Cold War alliances, and in attempts by outsiders to influence African political and economic systems during the decolonization and postindependence periods. Although conflicts in Africa emerged from local issues, external political and military interventions altered their dynamics and rendered them more lethal. Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War counters oversimplification and distortions and offers a new continentwide perspective, illuminated by trenchant case studies.

“A counterweight to the often shallow perspectives on African events and affairs as communicated by broadcast and print media, which tend to be overly descriptive, short on evidence, and divorced from historical context. Libraries, be they local public institutions or at major research universities, would be well advised to include this title in their collections.”, “[A] well-organized, easy-to-read survey of a very complicated field of literature … clear and succinct presentation of major factors driving foreign intervention….it is refreshing to have a textbook on the market that is clearly designed for teaching undergraduates.”, “Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War should become the quintessential building block for future conceptual, theoretical, and empirical explorations of international affairs in and with Africa.”, “Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War is a laudable contribution to the expanding body of scholarship … about…Africa’s past and potential future. It is an excellent introductory text for students, policymakers, and other readers…. The suggested readings at the end of each chapter provide a valuable guide for those seeking to further explore specific topics within this remarkable book.”, "(Foreign Intervention in Africa) makes an important contribution to the literature on African conflicts. Specifically written for non-specialists, it contains many illustrations, beautiful maps and useful reading suggestions that will appeal to policy-makers, humanitarian actors, students and the general public interested in understanding the consequences of foreign interventions in Africa.”

In Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War—interdisciplinary in approach and intended for nonspecialists—Elizabeth Schmidt provides a new framework for thinking about foreign political and military intervention in Africa, its purposes, and its consequences. She focuses on the quarter century following the Cold War (1991–2017), when neighboring states and subregional, regional, and global organizations and networks joined extracontinental powers in support of diverse forces in the war-making and peace-building processes. During this period, two rationales were used to justify intervention: a response to instability, with the corollary of responsibility to protect, and the war on terror.Often overlooked in discussions of poverty and violence in Africa is the fact that many of the challenges facing the continent today are rooted in colonial political and economic practices, in Cold War alliances, and in attempts by outsiders to influence African political and economic systems during the decolonization and postindependence periods. Although conflicts in Africa emerged from local issues, external political and military interventions altered their dynamics and rendered them more lethal. Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War counters oversimplification and distortions and offers a new continentwide perspective, illuminated by trenchant case studies.