Ecology, Politics and Violent Conflict [Hardcover]

Mohamed Suliman (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1856496015 | ISBN-13: 978-1856496018 | Publication Date: April 15, 1999

Violent internal conflicts in more and more countries are ruining the lives of millions of people and undermining the ability of their governments to provide security and a tolerable economic existence. The contributors to this book take a new view of the reasons for this grave development in Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia and elsewhere. They question traditional analyses of conflict which rely primarily on ethnic, religious and cultural explanations since these do not take account of the increasingly obvious link between the growing scarcity of renewable resources and violent conflict in developing countries. Shortages of cropland, fresh water, woodfuel, pasture and marine resources cannot be ignored. At the same time, this book argues that one cannot understand domestic conflicts simply in environmental terms, for environmental scarcity functions in a society within a complex matrix of historically derived economic and political situations. In particular, an unequal social distribution of resources exacerbates scarcity and fuels popular conflict.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Mohamed Suliman is Director of the Institute for African Alternatives in London.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Zed Books (April 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1856496015
• ISBN-13: 978-1856496018
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,415,043 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)