Conflict Management and African Politics: Ripeness, Bargaining, and Mediation

This edited volume builds on a core set of concepts developed by I. William Zartman to offer new insights into conflict management and African politics. Key concepts such as ripe moments, hurting stalemates, and collapsed states, are built upon in order to show how conflict resolution theory may be applied to contemporary challenges, particularly in Africa. The contributors explore means of pre-empting negotiations over bribery, improving outcomes in environmental negotiations, boosting the capacity of mediators to end violent conflicts, and finding equitable negotiated outcomes. Other issues dealt with in the book include the negotiation of relations with Europe, the role of culture in African conflict resolution, the means to enhance security in unstable regional environments, and the strategic role of the United States in mediating African conflicts.

This book will be of much interest to students of international conflict management, peace/conflict studies, African politics and IR in general.

Terrence Lyons is an Associate Professor of Conflict Resolution at the Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution and co-director of the Center for Global Studies, George Mason University.

Gilbert M. Khadiagala is Jan Smuts Professor of International Relations and Head of the Department of International Relations, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.