Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War

Elizabeth Schmidt is professor emeritus of history at Loyola University Maryland. Her previous books include Foreign Intervention in Africa: From the Cold War to the War on Terror; Cold War and Decolonization in Guinea, 1946–1958; Mobilizing the Masses: Gender, Ethnicity, and Class in the Nationalist Movement in Guinea, 1939–1958; Peasants, Traders, and Wives: Shona Women in the History of Zimbabwe, 1870–1939; and Decoding Corporate Camouflage: U.S. Business Support for Apartheid.

"Why is this book a 'must read'? In my view, it is because (Schmidt) manages to bring together a massive amount of information across a highly diverse socioeconomic and political landscape, organize it around a very persuasive set of propositions, and present it in a highly readable and compelling way." (African Studies Review) “A counterweight to the often shallow perspectives on African events and affairs as communicated by broadcast and print media, which tend to be overly descriptive, short on evidence, and divorced from historical context. Libraries, be they local public institutions or at major research universities, would be well advised to include this title in their collections.” (American Historical Review) "[A] well-organized, easy-to-read survey of a very complicated field of literature … clear and succinct presentation of major factors driving foreign intervention….it is refreshing to have a textbook on the market that is clearly designed for teaching undergraduates." (H-Africa) “Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War should become the quintessential building block for future conceptual, theoretical, and empirical explorations of international affairs in and with Africa.” (H-Diplo Roundtable, 2 March 2020) “Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War is a laudable contribution to the expanding body of scholarship … about…Africa's past and potential future. It is an excellent introductory text for students, policymakers, and other readers…. The suggested readings at the end of each chapter provide a valuable guide for those seeking to further explore specific topics within this remarkable book.” (Canadian Journal of African Studies / Revue canadienne des études africaines) "(Foreign Intervention in Africa) makes an important contribution to the literature on African conflicts. Specifically written for non-specialists, it contains many illustrations, beautiful maps and useful reading suggestions that will appeal to policy-makers, humanitarian actors, students and the general public interested in understanding the consequences of foreign interventions in Africa." (African Studies Quarterly) "A timely analysis …. [The book] is a must-read and will prove quite valuable in providing readers with deeper knowledge to question faulty logic and oversimplified solutions.…Schmidt presents an articulate, meticulous, yet easily comprehensible book that keeps her readers engaged. Summing up: Essential." (CHOICE) "Foreign Intervention in Africa after the Cold War, by one of the leading Africanists in the United States, is richly detailed and beautifully organized. The bibliographical essays at the end of each chapter make it especially helpful to students. This is a fine study that is ideal for classroom use." "Foreign Intervention in Africa After the Cold War is an excellent contribution to African studies, history and political science because of the many insights into the extent and complexities of foreign intervention in one accessible text. This is a book that reminds us that it is not always just a question of whether to intervene or not." (The Washington Post)