African conflicts and Informal Power : Big Men and Networks

Abstract

Through a variety of indepth case studies – from DRC to Somalia to Liberia amongst others – this book shows how important informal political and economic networks are in many of the continent’s conflict areas.

<p>Contents: -- Introduction: Bigmanity and network governance in African conflicts / Mats Utas -- Part 1: Country case studies -- 1. Informal political structures, resources and the Ugandan army; military entrepreneurialism in the Ugandan-Congolese borderland / Koen Vlassenroot and Sandrine Perot -- 2. Big Man Business in the Borderland of Sierra Leone / Maya Mynster Christensen -- 3. The politics of impersonation: Corps habillés, Nouchis, and subaltern Bigmanity in Côte d'Ivoire / Karel Arnaut -- 4. Demobilized or remobilized? Liberia's remaining rebel structures in post-war security settings / Mariam Persson -- 5. 'Castles in the sand': Informal networks and power brokers in the Northern Mali periphery / Morten Böås -- Part 2: Thematic case studies -- 6. Critical states and cocaine connections / Henrik Vigh -- 7. African Big Men and international criminal justice: the case of Sierra Leone / Gerhard Anders -- 8. Big Man bargaining in African conflicts / Ilmari Käihkö -- 9. Intermediaries of peace or agents of war: the role of ex-midlevel commanders in Big Man networks / Anders Themnér -- 10. The Big Men commanding conflict resources in Africa: the DRC case / Ruben de Koning</p>