Manchester University Press African Security in the Twenty-First Century: Challenges and Opportunities

What does security really mean for Africans in today’s increasingly globalized and interdependent world? Is it addressing the estimated 15,000 people killed by terrorism-related violence in northeastern Nigeria since 2011; the nearly 3 million people displaced by ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; or the more than 1,000 young children across the continent that will die each day from lack of clean water and poor sanitation? In African security in the twenty-first century Stephen Emerson and Hussein Solomon seek to answer these and other questions through their examination of the evolving nature of the African security paradigm in light of the multitude of diverse threats and challenges facing the continent and the international community. Through the lens of human security this book examines the continent’s most pressing security challenges—from identity conflict and failing states to terrorism, disease, and environmental degradation—and in doing so provides a comprehensive look at the complexities of building peace and stability in modern-day Africa. It critically assesses the state of progress at the local, regional, and international level in addressing security challenges and presents new strategies and tools for more effectively engaging Africans and the global community in their common search for solutions.