Lineages of State Fragility: Rural Civil Society in Guinea-Bissau (Western African Studies) - Softcover
Synopsis
"Forrest argues that despite European influences, the contemporary fragility of African states can be fully appreciated only by examining the indigenous social context in which these states evolved. Focusing on Guinea-Bissau, Forrest exposes the emergence of a strong and adaptable "rural civil society" that can be traced back to precolonial times." "Lineages of State Fragility analyzes the social, political, and military experiences of rural civil society and villagers' success in maintaining their autonomy. Forrest identifies interethnic social and military practices that became entrenched in rural social structures and continued to evolve through the colonial period, enabling Guinea-Bissauans to resist state predation." Lineages of State Fragility offers an unorthodox explanation of African politics by tracing direct social links among the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial periods and affirms the role of rural actors in determining present-day political outcomes.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Joshua B. Forrest is a research affiliate at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School for Public and International Affairs, and associate professor of political science at the University of Vermont. He is the author of Namibia's Post-Apartheid Regional Institutions: The Founding Year.
Review
"Demonstrates an amazing grasp of Guinea-Bissau, African statecraft, and resistance."
-- Walter Hawthorne, Department of History, Ohio University
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
