The Illusion of the Post-Colonial State : Governance and Security Challenges in Africa

This broadly interdisciplinary book offers deep insight into Africa's colonial history for an understanding and explication of contemporary governance crises, security challenges, and state failure on the continent. It traverses political science, political economy, sociology, .. Cover The Illusion of the Post-Colonial State The Illusion of the Post-Colonial State: Governance and Security Challenges in Africa copyright page Contents Preface: Is Africa Post-Colonial, Neo-Colonial, or Post-Colonized? Notes Acknowledgments Colonial Rule, Disengagement, and the Post-Colonial State The Illusive Post-Colony: A Conceptual Discourse Impact of the Cold War on Governance, Security, and Stability in Africa Political Developments in Africa since the End of the Cold War Conclusion Notes Chapter 1 Colonial Rule and the Political Architecture of the Post-Colonial State The Political Architecture of Colonial Rule in Africa Conclusion Notes Chapter 2 The Grant of Independence Imperialist Conspiracies and the Subversion of Post-Colonial Nation-States Conclusion Notes Chapter 3 Britain and the Orchestration of Pseudo-Decolonization The Second World War and the End of Empire Conclusion Notes Chapter 4 The Role of France in the Subversion of the Post-Colonial State De Gaulle, Decolonization, Francafrique, and Relationship of Dependency Conclusion: New Realities and Changes in France-Africa Relations Notes Chapter 5 Portugal Portugal in Africa: Colonial History as a Guide Conclusion Notes Chapter 6 The United States and the Political and Economic Destabilization of Africa US Interests in Africa The Cold War and Political and Socio-Economic Destabilization of African States Apartheid South Africa, Zimbabwe, and America’s Southern Africa Policy Conclusion Notes Regional Examples of Illusive Post-Colonial States Chapter 7 Nigeria Historical Origin and the Creation of Nigeria as a Colonial State Independence and the Illusion of the New Modern Nation-State Postscript and Conclusion Notes Chapter 8 Mali Mali and its Post-Colonial Instabilities Conclusion Notes Chapter 9 Somalia Somalia under Foreign Rule Conclusion Notes Chapter 10 Algeria Algeria: The Quintessential Settler-Colony France and Algeria’s War of Independence FIS and Descent into Dictatorship and Anarchy Al Qaeda and the Rise of Jihadist Terrorism Conclusion Notes Chapter 11 Democratic Republic of the Congo The Belgian Congo Independence and State Collapse After Mobutu: DR Congo and “Africa’s World War” Conclusion Notes Chapter 12 Mozambique Portugal, FRELIMO, and the War of Independence External Interference, Instability, and Civil War Conclusion Notes Chapter 13 Contemporary Nation-Building, Governance, and Security Challenges in Africa Africa and the Curse of Failing States Nation-Building in the Post-Colony Globalization and the Fate of the African State Conclusion Notes Conclusion The Illusive Post-Colonial State An Illusive Post-Colonial State? Notes Bibliography Index About the Author This book challenges the long-held conventional wisdom that Africa is a post-colonial society of sovereign nation-states despite the outward attributes of statehood: demarcated territories, permanent populations, governments, national currencies, police, and armed forces. While it is true that African nation-states have been gifted flag independence by their respective colonial masters, few have reached fully developed status as a secure nation-state. Most African nation-states have, since independence, been grappling with the crisis of state-building, nation-building, governance, and myriad security challenges which have been chronically exacerbated by the dynamics of the post-Cold War era. To focus merely on the agency of the African political elite and their inability to sustain functional modern nation-states misses the point. The central argument of the book is that an understanding of Africa's contemporary governance and security challenges requires us to historicize the discourse surrounding nation-building and state-building throughout Africa.