The Great Lakes region of Africa is characterized by protest politics, partial democratization, political illegitimacy and unstable economic growth. Many of the countries that are members of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) which are: Burundi, Angola, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia, have experienced political violence and bloodshed at one time or another. While a few states have been advancing electoral democracy, environmental protection and peaceful state building, the overall intensity of violence in the region has led to civil wars, invasion, genocide, dictatorships, political instability, and underdevelopment. Efforts to establish sustainable peace, meaningful socio-economic development and participatory democracy have not been quite successful. Using various methodologies and paradigms, this book interrogates the complexity of the causes of these conflicts; and examines their impact and implications for socio-economic development of the region. The non-consensual actions related to these conflicts and imperatives of power struggles supported by the agents of ‘savage’ capitalism have paralysed efforts toward progress. The book therefore recommends new policy frameworks within regionalist lenses and neo-realist politics to bring about sustainable peace in the region.
Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo is Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of International Studies at Wells College. A Visiting Scholar in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cornell University, he has been serving as an External Examiner in the Department of Political Science at the University of Ghana since 2012. Also, he has taught political science in many universities and colleges, including the University of Liberia where he was the Chair of the Department of Political Science. His research interests include world politics, higher education (comparative and international), international political economy, South-South relations, peace, security and development studies as well as Africa-Asia relations.
ISBN : 978 2 86978 720 9
CODESRIA 2017
