African Border Disorders

Olivier J. Walther is Visiting Associate Professor in African Studies at the University of Florida, USA.William F.S. Miles is Professor of Political Science at Northeastern University in Boston, USA.

‘Based on original and cutting edge research and authored by leading scholars in the field, African Border Disorders significantly enriches our understanding of transnational extremist organizations in postcolonial Africa. What makes this volume stand apart in the burgeoning literature on political violence is that its authors clearly locate the spatial patterns of attacks within the social networks underlying rebel movements in the African continent.’ - Ousmane Kane, Harvard University, USA.‘While the rest of the world continues to recognize African states, many of which have limited empirical existence and do little for their populations, challenges to these states on the ground increasingly ignore and bypass existing sovereign territorial configurations. This original, insightful and methodologically sophisticated book directs a cast of outstanding scholars to break down the transnational social and spatial networks that have progressively turned many African states upside down. Reaching broadly across topics and regions, this work is of critical theoretical and policy importance.’ - Pierre Englebert, Pomona College, USA.‘This remarkable collection of chapters brings together scholars from across the world working on the difficult subjects of both transnational behaviour and armed group relationships. Research on relationships, networks and strategies are grounded in innovative and robust empirical evidence and methods. Insights from these rigorous works will serve as a guide to students, an excellent resource for researchers, and will set the agenda for future policy and practitioner work on the security of border regions in areas of intense violent competition. A timely and welcome contribution to the study of political violence patterns.’ - Clionadh Raleigh, University of Sussex, UK.'By using a ‘social networks/spatial patterns’ methodology, this collection indeed adds to ourunderstanding of transnational rebels and extremist organisations.' - Anthoni van Nieuwkerk, South African Journal of International Affairs.'...the volume certainly fulfils its aim to theoretically and empirically contribute to understanding how regulations and constitutions affect consolidation of party politics in selected countries. Its particular merit lies in the focus on under-researched post-communist countries, and the comparative approach that relies on not only quantitative, but also qualitative data, which casts a new light on the relationship between party regulations and party system development. As such, the book is a useful resource not only for researchers in the field of political parties and party systems, but also more broadly for scholars interested in elections, political competition, political (party) corruption, regulations, compliance, and regulatory impact.' - Gorana Mišić, East European Politics Journal

• Introduction: States, Borders and Political Violence in AfricaPART I: Social Networks and Spatial Patterns1. Spatializing the Social Networks of the First Congo War2. Exploring the Spatial and Social Networks of Transnational Rebellions in Africa3. Networks and Spatial Patterns of Extremist Organizations in North and West Africa4. Spatial and Temporal Diffusion of Political Violence in North and West AfricaPART II: Transnational Extremism and Policy Responses5. Nigeria’s Boko Haram: Local, National and Transnational Dynamics6. External Incentives and the African Subregional Response to Boko HaramPART III: States, Civil Society and Transnational Extremism7. Terror, Territory and Statehood from Al Qaeda to the Islamic State8. Public Perceptions of Violent Extremism in Mali9. Jihads and Borders: Social Networks and Spatial Patterns in Africa, Present, Past and Future